Deletion
by Queen Sunstar
Summary: A brutal attack has left Megaman.EXE damaged. Lan and the other Netops are captured while fighting off a virus invasion at Scilabs. Megaman starts to remember things from a time before he became a Navi, things he was never supposed to remember. Bad things
1. Road to the Ethernet

_Tap… Tap… Tap…_

"hmm…" Megaman stirred, and woke up. It was dark and quiet inside the PET. He listened. Something had woken him up, but what? He decided to get up and investigate. All the codes in the Pet were where they should be. Megaman stopped at the new antifirewall that Chaud Blaze, Netop of Protoman, had created and installed in everybody's PETS. Chaud had said it was better to be safe then sorry. Megaman wondered what Chaud had met by that line.

_Tap… Tap… Tap…_

"There it is again. It's coming from the wall." Megaman felt the wall carefully.

BAM!

Megaman jumped a mile. The wall shuddered once, twice, and collapsed. Megaman couldn't stop the scream that tore from him like a wounded animal in torment. A solid black Navi stood before him. It wore a black cloak with black boots. A single red eye glowed from a horned helmet. The left horn was shorter then the right horn. The cloak was torn in places. Megaman tensed.

"Who are you? Why do you look so familiar?" Megaman asked, "Lan? A little help here!"

"Who I am is not important." Came the cold reply, "We've met before, in Net City."

"LAN!" Megaman screamed over his shoulder at the darkened screen, "Attack at will. You'll only serve to get yourself deleted. I've never seen you before!"

"Ah, screaming for your Netop, eh? Sadly, no one can hear your screams as I leave you to a fate worse then deletion." the black Navi hissed.

The blow hit so fast that Megaman never saw it coming. The next thing he knew, there was pain, and he was laying inside a Megaman shaped crater, panting. The Navi dawned over him.

"LAN! PLEASE!" was all Megaman managed to get out before the next blow came, and with it, darkness.

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"Oh god, what did this to him?"

"Something got through your antifirewall, genius!"

"Lan, breathe."

"Breathe? Breathe? How can I breathe when my brother could be dying?"

Chaud Blaze sighed. He had come running when a screaming Lan called him on the phone. He'd sent Protoman on ahead, and the Navi had sent him an email back saying it wasn't pretty, and to hurry. Now, he and Lan were waiting in the Scilab waiting area while Lan's dad, Dr. Hikari, and Protoman battled to save Megaman. Maylu, Dex, Yai, and Tory had showed up as Lan had called them. On a computer screen, their Navis waited for news in a similar waiting area.

"What if, what if," Lan sobbed, and Chaud found himself holding the crying boy. He sent a look of pure helpless horror at Maylu, who ignored him. Dex sniggered, which turned into a yelp of pain as Yai kicked him. On screen, Gutsman glowered at Glyde.

"Hey! Tell your Netop to keep her hands off of the great Dex! De gutsu!" he growled.

"You tell your Netop to learn some manners." Glyde rolled his eyes.

"Why you puny-Ow!" Gutsman screamed, getting a face full of Rolls fist.

"Both of you shut up! Lan needs us more then ever now. We are going to get along nicely and help Lan through this." Roll snarled at the two Navis.

"For once, I'm not the one in trouble." Iceman spoke up as Roll turned on him, "Me and my big mouth…"

"It's Protoman! Maybe he has some news!" Glyde stopped Roll before she could pound on Iceman.

"It's pretty bad." Protoman refused to look at the Navis, and the six human children crowding the screen, "Megaman is decoding rapidly, and there is nothing we can do."

Lan sank back into Chaud's arms, sobbing uncontrollably much to Chaud's dismay. He locked eyes with his Navi, "Lan's PET, clues, go."

"We have managed to stabilize him." Protoman finished, "Lan, jack in your PET."

Lan responded by crying harder. Chaud sighed, as Dex picked up Lan's PET while Maylu jacked it in. Protoman appeared on it's screen. Shock covered his face. Chaud felt his gut twist in fear. Lan managed to look.

"Protoman, find anything?" Chaud asked.

"Something broke through the antifirewall you installed." Protoman said, "A major battle was fought here. Megaman never stood a chance." he knelt to pick up a piece of black cloth, "Chaud?" the word was filled with fear. Chaud trembled and forced himself to swallow. Protoman held up the cloth to the screen.

"What's wrong?" Iceman asked, feeling creeped out.

"Navirus." Protoman choked on the word, "Chaud? We're doomed."

"Navirus? What is a Navirus?" Yai asked.

"Lan, I tried." this came from Dr. Hikari.

"You mean you can't fix him?" Lan asked.

"There is nothing I can do for him." Dr. Hikari replied sadly, "What ever did this made sure he would suffer."

"What ever did this was a Navirus!" Protoman spat.

"Navirus? Not Medic!" Dr. Hikari spun to the screen where Protoman stood holding the cloth.

"No. Zero has her under control. This one is different." Protoman replied hotly, "Did you create a second one?"

"No, only Medic!" Dr. Hikari had gone white.

"What is a Navirus?" Yai tried again.

"Dad, what did you do?" Lan asked angrily, "Are you responsible for this?"

"No!" Dr. Hikari closed his eyes, "Let me explain." They all took seats with the Navis crowding the screen to hear better, "A Navirus is a Navi Virus cross. I created the first one, named Medic. She doesn't have a Netop. Medic's powers proved to be very destructive, so I sent Zero, another Navi, out to contain her. He brought her back and Medic chose to don limiters to try to manage her powers. She wears three sets of limiters as well as a limitation belt to keep her power at ten percent. Even then, she proved to be too strong. Chaud created a device for Zero to wear that keeps her in a near weakened state. Medic can't be deleted because it would cause untold amounts of damage to the net. I created only her. Someone else must have created another Navirus and used it to defeat Megaman in a way where he'll suffer."

"Doctor?"

"Medic, I didn't think you'd come. Guys, this is Medic, and behind her is Zero." Dr. Hikari brightened a bit.

"Greetings." Medic replied, "I'm Medic, and I'm a Navirus. Doctor, where is he? I think I can help, especially if he was hurt by another Navirus."

Medic wore black pants with white boots and a white top with black sleeves. A pair of white gloves donned her hands, where three thick metal bracelets adorned her wrists. She wore three more thick bracelets on her ankles, and a thick metal belt rested just below her waistline. Her lilac colored eyes sparkled and she wore her lilac hair back in a ponytail.

Standing just behind and off her right was the imposing figure of Zero. Tall, even on Navi standards, Zero wore red boots with a white trim over black pants and a red top with black sleeves. His gloves were red, and he wore a white belt that held a softly glowing green jewel. Zero had long blond hair that streamed out from a ponytail under his red and white helmet. His deep blue eyes were narrowed, and he held a green saber in his left hand.

"Megaman is this way." Dr. Hikari said, "Medic, it appears he was attacked by another Navirus, and he looks really bad. I've done what I could."

The Navirus, her Navi guard, and the doctor left the room. The remaining Navis and kids all sighed and went back to waiting.

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"Zero, I can work better without you breathing down my neck. Why don't you go back to the other Navis? It do you some good to socialize." Medic entered the labs main computer, and jumped over to the capsule where Megaman lay.

"And who will protect you?" Zero asked.

"I can protect myself, and you are going to be just a scream away." Medic smiled at him, "Go socialize. I'm safe here."

"I'd rather stay close by." Zero sighed.

"Oh go hang out and have some fun." Medic chided him gently.

"You sure you will be okay?" Zero asked.

"I'll be fine." Medic watched him leave, "I'm not helpless." She turned to her patient, "What have we here?" Medic ran a scan to give herself an idea of what was damaged. Carefully, she began the long and daunting task of stripping and repairing codes. Slowly, Megaman stopped rezing and became more solid. Sighing, she removed a bracelet from each wrist, "That's better. I'm in control. Just needed a little bit more power."

Dr. Hikari watched her work. He hadn't told the whole truth to Lan and the others. Medic was the first Navi he'd ever made. Medic had become a Navirus voluntarily. It had been Medic who had comforted Dr. Hikari the day Hub died. It had been Medic who had suggested since merging viral DNA to a Navi had been successful, why not human DNA? From there, came Megaman.

Medic recalled the attack on the lab by Mr. Willy. Willy had blocked all access to the Scilab computers by Navi and planned to destroy any and all projects by Dr. Hikari. Hikari had asked Medic if she could go in and retrieve what they had dubbed the Human Project. Medic agreed, and got in easily. She made it back to Hikari's home computer with the file. Realizing Willy was searching for the Human Project, Hikari hid it within Medic's program, and sent her into hiding with Zero. Willy disappeared weeks afterward and Hikari sent a message to Medic saying it was safe to come home. By then, the file had integrated itself into Medic's program and was using her to develop. Several weeks later, Medic downloaded herself into Lan's future PET, giving life to the file in which she'd named Megaman. She and Hikari had decided to keep this part a secret to protect Megaman from Willy. Medic sat back, having finished her repairs at last.

"Rest now, my son." She whispered softly, "I've done what I can."

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"_Mama! Guess what? I cleared level one today!" _

_Medic chuckled as she bent down to catch the little blue and yellow blur rushing her way with a panting Zero behind him. _

"_Good job, Megaman." She cheered, "He did good?"_

"_Yes, and he gets to start level two tomorrow." Zero smiled, "He cleared level one faster then I did."_

"_Shall we go for ice cream?" Medic asked Megaman, who agreed enthusiastically. He would have taken off again if Medic hadn't been holding onto his hand, "Now Zero, don't be jealous of him."_

"_I'm not jealous. I'm proud of him. He's going to go far." Zero smiled as they left Scilabs and entered Net City. A half an hour later, Megaman dug into a chocolate sundae with blue and yellow sprinkles while Medic licked a vanilla cone. Zero had a cup of coffee in front of him, hating cold treats with a passion. It was peaceful. The sun was out and a gentle breeze blew through the trees. Zero kept one eye on his little family and one eye scanning the crowd. He remembered the Willy scare all too well. _

"_I'm done." Megaman pushed his empty bowl away, "Can I have seconds? Please?"_

_CRACK!_

_Megaman screamed, flying into Medic's arms. Zero whipped out his saber as he put himself in front of Medic and Megaman. He scanned the crowd for potential enemies. _

_CRACK!_

_The ground broke open as something dark floated up into the light. It wore all black with a horned helmet. A pair of glowing red eyes shone from the visor._

"_Rock!" Zero screamed, "I'm going to delete you!"_

"_Hand me the brat." came the cold reply._

"_Never!" Medic screamed._

"_I'll take the brat by force if necessary!" Rock screamed, raising his left hand. Zero slashed at it. _

"_Medic! Get him out of here! I'll hold Rock off!" he screamed._

_Medic took off, or tried to. Black tentacles wrapped around her legs and she fell. More tentacles wrapped around her._

"_Mama!" Megaman screamed, his left arm forming into his buster. He fired a shot at Rock, who screamed, one of his eyes going out. Some of the tentacles vanished from around Medic. Zero took advantage, slashing through Rock's left horn. _

"_Enough." Zero screamed as Rock wrapped him in a bundle of tentacles and did the same to Medic, "I'll let them go if you come with me."_

"_Mama! Daddy! You let them go!" Megaman fired another shot that tore through Rock's cloak, which also gave Zero the opening he needed to slash his way out of the tentacles. Medic suddenly burst free, her limiters gone._

"_Rock, I know what you are and what you want! I'll never love you and you will never get your hands on my son! You can go back to Willy and tell him to give it up!" White tentacles shot up and around Rock, "Do I make myself clear?"_

"_Perfectly." Rock sniggered, and vanished. _

"_Where's Megaman?" Medic looked for her son, but he was gone, "No! he got him! We failed! Oh, we failed!"_

"_Or did we?" Zero snarled, his anger coming off him in waves, "We are going to get him back!"_

Megaman's eyes flew open as he woke up. Pain stabbed at him from everywhere. He found himself laying in a capsule inside the Scilabs. A pink and red female Navi with yellow antennae sat in a cyber chair near him.

"Roll?" He tried to sit up, but his head swam.

"Megaman!" Roll ran to his side, "you woke up! You were in a bad way when Lan found you. He's asleep right now. You up to some visitors?"

"Yea." Megaman smiled.

Protoman led the rush to Megamans side as soon as Roll called.

"You gave us quite the scare." Protoman said in greeting, "Who or what did this to you?"

"I wish I knew." Megaman answered.

Minutes later, the kids minus Lan crowded around the capsule. Dr. Hikari threaded his way through them.

"How do you feel?" he asked, "That was quite a beating you took."

"I'm fine, just sore." Megaman looked for Lan.

"Looking for Lan?" Dex asked, "He cried himself to sleep in Chaud's arms. You really scared him. I never want to see him crying like that again."

"If it is possible, I'd like a minute alone with Megaman." Protoman had caught the lie in Megamans words. Megaman knew it too. The doctor, kids, and Navis left them alone. Protoman turned to him, "describe."

"Black, one red eye, horned helmet, tattered cloak, left horn shorter then right horn." Megaman replied at once.

"Bass? Wait, he is not all black. Um, I wish I could tell you who that was." Protoman looked apologetic.

"Rock."

Protoman turned, "Zero, you know that Navi?"

"His name is Rock." this came from Medic, "He attacked us once before."

"Rock is like Medic, a Navirus." Zero explained.

Megaman stared at the two new Navis in shock. They were real? Protoman left them alone together, getting the silent hints from Zero to leave.

"You are real?" Megaman asked.

"Yes. He's starting to remember." Medic looked to Zero, "I'm Medic, and this is Zero. We raised you as our own."

"I dreamed about you. I called you mom and dad." Megaman told them about his dream.

"That is what we are to you." Medic smiled, "I got to you in time to save you."

"Why don't I remember you?" Megaman asked.

"Should we tell him?" Zero asked.

"Does he need to know?" Medic asked worriedly.

"Tell me what? Why don't I remember you? Shouldn't I remember you?" Megaman asked again.

Zero sighed, and drew up Roll's empty chair, "Are you sure you want to know?"

"Shouldn't I know?" Megaman asked.

"Megaman, you are not just a Navi. You carry human DNA inside you. Lan is more then just your Netop. He is your twin brother. It is a long story. The thing that attacked you is like Medic, a Navirus. His name is Rock. He is an agent of Mr. Willy."

"Already been defeated. Mr. Willy ran World Three, which my friends and I took down." Megaman recalled.

"Mr. Willy wanted to find and control the ultimate Navi. He learned of the Human Project and realized that this Navi is what he was searching for. Dr. Hikari hid your still developing file inside Medic and we went into hiding as Mr. Willy attacked the Scilab, looking for that file. Five weeks later, Willy disappeared and Medic and I returned to Hikari. By then, your file had latched onto Medic's program and through her, you were born. Willy made another attempt to capture you days after your birth. It was decided that you would stay with us for your protection as we could protect you better then any firewall or antifirewall. Sadly, we failed. Rock got to you and took you to Willy. We almost didn't find you in time. We decided it would be better to have your memories blocked so you didn't have to remember. It was also to protect you. Medic coded a cloak code in you to help hide you from Willy. I wish things had come out better. Willy is not gone. He's back, and he is after you." Zero swallowed, "Can you forgive us?"

"Why me? I'm strong, but I'm not that strong nor that special. I already know I'm Lans twin brother." Megaman looked away.

"Megaman, you are the third Navirus." Zero explained further, watching Megaman's reaction.

"What? But how?"

"Think about it. I'm a Navirus and I carried your file in me. You have some of my viral DNA in you along with your human DNA. That is what makes you a Navirus, and what makes you so strong."

"I'm the enemy?"

"Good heavens no. you are like me, a Navirus. Your human DNA is what keeps your viral half in check."

"You are saying I'm a virus."

"You are a Navi virus cross." Medic corrected.

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"Lan is still asleep?" Protoman asked, looking out into the waiting area at Chaud, and beyond him, at the softly snoring Lan.

"Yes, and we are going to let him sleep. He needs it." Chaud answered.

BURR! BURR! BURR!

Red lights flashed as the alarms wailed their siren song. Lan woke up due to the noise and nearly got ran over by Tory and Dex who were shouting orders and downloading battle chips at their Navis as they jacked in. the Scilab firewalls began to cave as thousands of viruses flooded the servers. Chaud, Maylu, and Yai jacked in with their Navis. Lan ran to the other room to join Megaman, who was not cleared to battle.

The scene that greeted the five Navis was one of horror. Thousands of viruses swarmed the servers. Protoman recognized many of the viruses, but there were still some he didn't recognize. An orange sword appeared on his right hand as he tensed for battle. There was the sound of buzzing pixels as Medic logged in followed by Numberman, Magnetman, and several Scilab Navis.

"We are outnumbered 20000 to one." Numberman broke the silence.

"They're everywhere." Glyde's eyes were wide.

"We have an advantage." Medic spoke up, her words punctuated by clicks as she snapped open her bracelets, "You have a Navirus on your side. Me. I'm not going to hold back." she dropped her belt with a crash, "Zero, shut it off. I want all of it."

"But won't that cause damage to the net?" Zero asked.

"the net is going to be damaged anyway if we don't stop them." Medic replied.

Suddenly, the viruses moved, and the battle began in earnest. Roll found herself surrounded. She fought hard, but they kept coming and coming. Suddenly, white tentacles shot up around her to stab through the viruses which exploded in showers of pixels. Roll turned to see the floating Medic, who smiled at her. Protoman and Zero found themselves fighting back to back. Iceman froze a group of viruses that were shattered by Gutsman. Glyde was overhead, shout encouragement and warnings to the Navis below. He also made sure no one fought themselves into corners. Numberman rolled dice bomb after dice bomb into the swarm, taking out viruses by the dozens. Magnetman sent wave after wave of magnetic energy into the swarm, which made it easier for Numberman's dice bombs to hit.

"They keep coming and coming!" Protoman hacked what looked like a long legged centipede into pixels, "Where are they coming from?"

"I wish I knew!" Zero sliced a metool in half, "you kill one, and two more pop up to take it's place!"

CRACK!

"The net!" Glyde screamed, "It's falling apart!"

"What? Oh no!" Zero looked up, "Medic! Your powers are tearing the net apart!"

"You guys go, get out of here!" Medic ordered, "go!"

"No way! I'm not leaving you!" Zero fought his way toward her, "Medic!"

"I'm out of control! Just go!" Medic's body glowed white, "Hurry!"

"Let's go! De gutsu!" Gutsman grabbed Zero into a bear hug and ran for the link.

"MEDIC!" Zero fought his grip, but they were already in the link.

Roll screamed suddenly and fell, a bit of the sky on top of her. Protoman ran back to her but couldn't move the piece. Iceman and Glyde joined him, but the piece proved too heavy for them to move.

"Please! I don't want to die here!" Roll sobbed.

Protoman went into overdrive, hacking like mad at the piece of sky with his sword. It broke apart in a shower of pixels. He then scooped her up and ran for the link. As they shot through it, there was an explosion behind them. Roll buried her face into Protoman's shoulder, crying. Glyde was panting, and Iceman was just behind him. They appeared in the main computer. Megaman turned to them from inside the capsule.

"What happened?" Lan asked.

"Thousands of viruses, de gutsu." Gutsman answered, "the net collapsed, de gutsu."

"What? That means you guys are stuck here." Lan replied, "Megaman, why didn't you wake me when you went under attack?"

"Is it my fault you sleep like the dead?" Megaman asked, "I screamed for you many times. You never responded."

"I am a light sleeper!" Lan cried out indignantly.

"Roll, are you okay?" Protoman set her down onto her own feet, but her legs refused to support her. Roll gasped sharply.

"Protoman, look!" Roll pointed at her left leg, which was rezing in several places, "I'm hurt! It hurts so much!"

"It's okay, I know, it hurts. Rest. I've got you. Lan, can you go find our Netops? Roll needs a health chip to repair the damage she took. Maylu should be able to jack in here." Protoman looked toward the door. A glow filled the area behind him.

"Sorry that took me so long."

"MEDIC!" Zero ran to her, "I thought you deleted yourself! Don't ever do that to me again!" He hugged her tightly, "I almost had to explain to our son why you were never coming back!"

"Zero, I knew what I was doing. Wait a minute, our son?" Medic looked up at him, "You mean you think of Megaman as our son?"

"Of course. I miss those days. I had a reason to fight." Zero relaxed a bit, "You didn't destroy the net this time too?"

"It's damaged, but we knew that would happen. I made sure to leave it intact. The viruses are gone at least. I had you all leave so I could use my strongest attacks without harming you." Medic went to Roll, "Let me tend to those wounds." slowly, Roll's face relaxed as her left leg stopped rezing.

"Thanks. Where is Maylu, and shouldn't Lan be back by now?" Roll asked.

"You are right." Iceman said, "I'll go to my PET." He logged out, and returned seconds later, "Our PETS are still there, but our Netops are gone! Where's Magnetman and Numberman?"

"Gone how?" Glyde asked.

"they aren't there! Our PETS are there, but no Netops!" Iceman wailed, "Tory! I failed you!"

"Quit blubbering, you idiot!" Glyde snapped, "We'll just have to find them then." he traced a square, which became a screen that remained blank, "Yai? Where are you?" the screen flashed one word, Ethernet, "She's in the Ethernet?"

"Ethernet? What is the Ethernet?" Roll asked.

"I know of it." Protoman studied the flashing word, "It was the internet before the internet. Ethernet used technology that shouldn't have been used. Reality became warped, and the Ethernet literally ate its way into the real word. It was shut down after a long and harsh battle between the Ethernet and a massive Navi army. The casualties were heavy on both sides. Only two hundred Navis survived out of the thousands that marched into battle. You see, the Ethernet achieved sentience. After the Ethernet was destroyed, the machines that powered it were destroyed. Years later, came the Internet, and the remaining two hundred Navis populated and gave rise to us today. Our Netops are inside the Ethernet, which is where I'm going."

"So am I." Iceman spoke up.

"De Gutsu, don't forget me." Gutsman added.

"As am I." Glyde replied.

"Me too." Roll joined them.

"Hold it! This is a dangerous mission! If you get deleted while in the Ethernet, you die for real. No comeback, no back up data to save you." Protoman stared at each of his friends, "I'm not going to stop you."

"We are coming too." Medic said, "Zero here is one of the survivors of the Ethernet War. He knows the way to the Ethernet."

"I'm coming too." Megaman appeared beside them, and automatically dropped to his hands and knees, "No one is talking me out of this." Gritting his teeth, he rose to his feet, "I'm not going to sit idle and let my friends put themselves in danger for a mistake I caused."

"Megaman, you can barely stand. The viruses living in the Ethernet are not like what you are used to. These things are strong, and I mean strong. Internet battle chips will not help you. You need these." Zero held up what looked like floppy disks, "They are called Etherdisks, or ED for short. They work like battle chips do except you don't need a Netop to download them into a PET. To use them, hold them up and call their name and the word download. For example, this one is a sword ED. You hold it up and call, Sword ED, Download!" Zero's left hand transformed itself into a green sword, "These ED last as long as you have energy. You can use more then one, but be careful. You could end up deleting yourself by running out of energy. If you get low on energy, use one of these." Zero held up a red ED, "this is a HP ED. It will restore fifty health points. It is used the same way as the other ED are. Got that? Megaman, why don't you try a HP ED?"

Megaman took a HP ED and held it up, "HP ED! Download!" his body glowed, and all of his damage was healed. "Wow, that worked like a health battle chip."

"Did you all get that? Some ED heal, some ED give you weapons, while other ED enhance your abilities." Zero handed out a health ED, two black battle ED, and a blue ED to everyone, "Red is health, black is battle, and blue is enhancement."

"So where is the link to the Ethernet?" Protoman asked.

"I'll take you there and guide you in the Ethernet." Zero said, "This way."

He led them back out into the damaged net space and stopped before what looked like a manhole. He reached down and removed the cover. Protoman leaned in to look.

"That looks a long way down." He whispered.

"Don't tell me you are afraid of a little old tunnel." Megaman ribbed, his tone joking.

"I am not afraid of it. I was merely pointing out that it looked like a long way down." Protoman sighed, "hold off the jokes, please. This is serious."

"I know it's serious. I'm just keeping myself optimistic." Megaman replied.

"I hate to ask, but how do we get down there? I don't see a ladder." Roll asked, "Or any way down for that matter."

"Easy, jump." Zero leapt into the opening. Medic followed. Gutsman was next, followed by both Iceman and Glyde. Roll gulped nervously. Protoman made the jump next. Megaman turned to Roll.

"Ladies first." he said.

"You first." Roll stepped back, "I'll follow."

"nervous? I am, too." Megaman said, "How about we go together?"

"You two coming sometime today?" Protoman's voice drifted back up to them, "you want to see this!"

"Coming!" Megaman took Rolls hand into his own, "We'll jump on the count of three."

"Three!" Roll jumped, taking Megaman with her, who screamed.

"Wait a minute! I wasn't ready!" the small blue and yellow Navi screamed as they fell.

"We both know you would lose your nerve!" Roll called back, "why else did you think I stayed behind?"

Megaman didn't respond, knowing she was right. Their boots touched ground, and they looked about in shock at their surroundings.

"Look at how tiny the pixels are!" Roll held a handful of pixels that were so small they looked like one solid color.

The world they jumped in was bright, and colorful. Birds chirped from gently swaying trees. Megaman glanced down to see grass. A stream bubbled from nearby to tumble in a small waterfall into a pool. It was warm, and peaceful. Roll felt a breeze stir her hair. Her hands went to her ponytail, and she felt individual strands of hair. Nearby, Protoman realized the same thing, while Zero showed no reaction to his long waving mane of golden hair. He waited, watching their reactions, Medic beside him.

"It looks and feels so real." Megaman said softly, reaching down to feel the grass between his fingers, "it makes the net feel, well, fake."

"The Ethernet uses higher technology. We are between the nets, in the last surviving free zone before the Ethernet. This is why I fight in both nets. I want to someday share this beauty with other Navis and humans alike. This is what the Ethernet used to be like before." Zero closed his eyes as if the memory caused him great pain, "before it all fell apart, pitting Navi against Navi in a brutal war where nether side won."

"I'm going to fight for this too. I can't wait to see Lan's face when he sees this." Megaman decided, "It is almost like the human world."

"That is because it is the human world, or a fragment of it anyway that got digitalized by the Ethernet during it's rampage." Medic replied, "The human world suffered during the war too. Lets go."

They all turned to follow when Megaman screamed, and dropped to his knees, hands on ether side of his head. His eyes were squeezed shut as if he were feeling great pain. His body shuddered as if it had absorbed a tremendous blow.

"What is wrong, Megaman?" Protoman ran to his side and knelt by him.

"It's Lan! It's torturing him!" Megaman gasped out, "It hurts!"

"This isn't right! A Navi can't feel the pain suffered by their Netop!" Glyde pointed out, "is it the Ethernet?"

"No, de gutsu." Gutsman shocked everyone, "It's because they are twins. Twins feel what the other goes through, de gutsu."

"Hold it! Who are you and what did you do to Gutsman?" Iceman squawked in surprise.

"I am Gutsman, de gutsu." Gutsman said, "I remembered what Dr. Hikari told us."

Megaman screamed again, turning the attention back to him. His teeth were clenched. He had gone white. What ever Lan was going through, it was bad. Protoman felt helpless for the first time in his life. A thought occurred to him.

"Can you tell were Lan is?" Protoman asked gently.

"I can't!" Megaman crumbled to the ground in a near faint, "I can't!"

"It's okay." Protoman wanted to scream in frustration. This was worse then watching his Netop suffer through the flu. Roll found herself wishing she could do more to help. Slowly, Megaman went still, his eyes opened wide, staring blankly, and his sides heaving.

"Megaman?" Roll knelt next to him. He didn't answer, "Megaman?"

"He can't answer you. He's catatonic from shock." Medic replied, "We need Lan."

"We need our Netops." Iceman said, "what are we going to do with him? We can't leave him here."

"We can't take him back to the Scilab. It got overrun, and nearly destroyed." Glyde replied.

"We will have to take him with us." Protoman decided, "I'll carry him myself."

"Is that smart? He could slow us down, and it will be harder to fight off the Ethernet viruses while trying to keep him out of harms way." Glyde pointed out.

"Let's go. We'll deal with that when we come to it." Protoman stood, Megaman in his arms, "I once had to fight through a wave of viruses while carrying him. It wasn't easy, but I never dropped him once."

Zero took the lead again, "I'm going to warn you. The Ethernet is not a pretty place." He led them toward a large tree and pulled down a series of branches.

"Halt! Name, please." came a voice.

"Zero, with Medic and friends." Zero replied.

"Zero, with Medic and friends, state your wish to enter the Ethernet." the voice replied curtly.

"Medic and I are taking a group of Navis to rescue their Netops from the Ethernet." Zero said, "Please, let us through before I delete you permanently, Virus."

"Enter, but don't blame me for what you see! I ain't responsible for lost items, deletion, and anything else for that mater. I only guard the-" Zero's sword flashed warningly, and Virus wisely chose to shut up. The tree did something very untreelike. It rose on its roots and slithered aside to reveal a black doorway. Zero walked through it followed by the others.

It was dark. Data rained down on them from an unseen sky. Crumbling ruins of what was once buildings stretched out in front of them. Nothing moved. Slowly, a slab of data toppled over with a crash. Something black skittered away from it. What looked like thick clouds drifted by overhead. Blacks, dark purples, and dark blues colored the deserted landscape. Zero turned to the Navis.

"Welcome to the Ethernet." he said, "Welcome to Ether City, my home."

**--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Queen Sunstar: greetings! Did you enjoy it? Review! I also have a Megaman X fanfic out called Corruption, and another Megaman X fanfic called Crisis. This one is my first NT warrior fanfic, so bear with me. I am going to try to get one more chapter out each of corruption and Deletion before next month. My next updates will come in December. November is NANOWRIMO (NAtional NOvel WRIting Month) and I take part of a writing contest where you have to write a 50000 word novel in one month, from midnight October 31st**** to Midnight November 30****th****. Last year was my first year. I wrote Murder Hotel, which is coming out around Christmas time. Here is the link if you are interested in participating, PM me and i'll send you the link.**** I'm Sunstar, there, too. Anyway, coming up next, we see what the Netops think after finding themselves in the Ethernet, and the Navis must figure out where Rock is holding their Netops and get a comatose Megaman to Lan. More shocking discoveries abound as they run into a familiar figure. I take flames, criticism, and rave reviews! Just make sure it is constructive! Navirus and Navi Medic and Zero are not the same Zero and Medic from my other two Megaman X stories! I own this version of Zero, and Medic, not Capcom, which owns everything else, except for Rock. Rock belongs to Amerella, and he is used here with her permission. Amerella may pop up from time to time to help me write out later chapters. See ya!**


	2. Explainations

"What happened? Where are we?" Lan tugged at the chains holding him in place. The place looked like an ancient stadium of sorts. He felt the cool stones of the wall he was chained to. They felt too real to be internet, which was his first guess. He didn't know what happened exactly, but as he'd opened the door, there was a blinding flash of light then nothingness. Maylu was on his right, Chaud on his left with Yai next to him. Tory and Dex were on the other side of Maylu. They each were chained by their wrists to the wall. Dex grunted, tugging with all his might at his chains.

"Is it just me, or does this place remind you of the coliseum in Rome, Italy?" Yai asked.

"You're right, Yai. It does look like the roman coliseum, but somehow, I don't think we are in Rome, Italy. The stone is the wrong color, and the sky is all wrong." Chaud pointed out.

"Must… break… free!" Dex grunted, still working on his chains.

"Are we in the internet?" Maylu asked.

"We can't be in the internet. Everything is too real." Lan answered.

"We got to be somewhere!" Tory cried out suddenly, "Iceman will never stop looking until he finds me!"

"Our Navis will never find us. There's no computer screens anywhere." Dex stopped struggling, defeated.

"Wait a minute." Chaud looked up at the odd colored sky, "That's a rose! I know where we are! Our Navis will find us! This is the Rose Coliseum! We're in the Ethernet!"

"Ethernet?" Yai looked up, "I don't see a rose."

"What is the Ethernet?" Lan asked, confused, "don't you mean Internet?"

"The Ethernet was the Internet before the Internet. It was shut down after it gained sentience and ate its way into our world. That much I remember. Protoman knows more about it then I do." Chaud explained, "Our Navis should be able to move freely here as they do in the Internet."

"You mean we'll be able to, um, see our Navis?" Yai asked, not sure how to phrase her question.

"That's right." Chaud turned as best as he could toward her, "Someone's coming."

A door opened as a black figure walked down the line of children. It stopped at Lan.

"Yes, the twin. Time to send a message to those Navis!" the figure growled.

"You're a Navi! Why are you doing this?" Maylu asked.

"I'm not a Navi. I'm a Navirus." the figure turned to her, "I follow orders given from Master W."

"Rock!" Chaud exploded, "Lets us go, and I'll have Protoman spare your life!"

"No can do, Chaud." Rock turned to him, "Protoman means nothing to me."

Chaud growled, his eyes locked on the single red eye of Rock, "Protoman is stronger then you ever will be!"

"Protoman is weak compared to me. You forget. I'm part virus. I can infect and weaken him." Rock stared back just as coldly.

"If you can catch him." Chaud spat.

Rock turned from him and unlocked Lan from the chains. He dragged him off.

"Chaud? How do you know Rock?" Yai asked softly.

Chaud closed his eyes, "Rock was my Navi before I met Protoman. Rock has always been like this. He figured out a way to suck me into the internet and attacked me. Protoman came to my rescue. Back then, he wasn't very strong or very fast. He wasn't even a good fighter, ether. Despite his weaknesses, he still drove Rock off. I was terrified. Protoman became my friend and helped me get back to the real world. I remember, he looked so sad on my computer screen."

_Flashback_

"_I guess this is goodbye, Chaud." Protoman said sadly._

"_It doesn't have to be good bye. You are my friend." Seven year old Chaud said, watching his screen._

"_What do you mean? I'm a solo Navi." Protoman asked._

"_What if you became my Navi?" Chaud smiled._

"_What? But what about Rock?" Protoman asked, "You said he was your Navi."_

"_Not anymore. Rock will never be my Navi again. Will you be my Navi? I know you aren't strong or very powerful. I don't care about that. I just want a Navi I know I can trust, a Navi who is my best friend." Chaud smiled, "Will you be my Navi, Protoman?"_

"_I'll be your Navi, Chaud." Protoman replied, smiling. He looked so happy._

_End Flashback_

"Protoman taught me what being a Netop is all about. At the same time, Protoman learned how to be a good Navi. Together, we trained and got to where we are today."

At that moment, they heard Lan scream. It was a scream filled with agony and suffering. Cruel laughter rang out as Lan screamed again and again. Unable to cover their ears, the five remaining kids were forced to listen. Unknown to them, a figure in blue robes watched from behind half a broken pillar.

'_Human children here? In the Ethernet?' _the figure thought, _'I can't let them see me!'_

the figure shimmered out unnoticed.

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"Ether City?" Protoman looked around as he shifted Megaman around in his arms to find a more comfortable way to carry him. Glyde had offered to take him, but Protoman refused, "It reminds me of Net City, almost."

"Was it beautiful once?" Roll asked.

Zero nodded, "It was beautiful, until the war, anyway. Net City was built following Ether City's layout. We need to search for clues to your Netops location. Glyde, I need you airborne. Keep an eye out for viruses. They look and act like the internet viruses."

"On it." Glyde hit what passed for the sky, "It's clear miles around you!"

"Good." Zero led them deeper into Ether City. Unknown to them, the blue robed figure watched from the top of a building, where he'd appeared from the Coliseum.

'_They are Navis! Are they looking for those human children?' _the figure thought, listening, _'Perhaps I can help them.' _He spotted Glyde turning toward him and ducked out of sight.

"See something, Glyde?" Iceman called up.

"I thought I saw something, but it's nothing." Glyde answered.

"Was it a virus?" Roll asked.

"I'm pretty sure it wasn't a virus." Glyde answered.

Zero listened, and thought, _'Don't you dare interfere!_' He glanced around, but there was no blue robed figure in sight.

Iceman felt something hit his boot and instantly froze what ever it was. He looked down to see that he'd frozen a piece of what looked like paper that had wrapped itself around his leg. He carefully thawed the paper out and held it up to see it better. If he had looked to the right down a dark alley, he would have seen a flash of blue as the figure vanished.

"se Coli? What is this?" Iceman asked out loud as the other Navis gathered around him, "I think I found a clue."

Zero took the paper, "It's a poster for the last of the Rose Coliseum Tournaments, where everything started to fall apart."

"Could our Netops be there? De gutsu." Gutsman asked.

"There is no wind, so the paper couldn't had blown up against Iceman's foot. Someone is helping us." Protoman looked right down the dark alley, "We can start there, providing Zero knows the way."

"And I remember the way well." Zero replied, "It was a happy time. There were games held there every weekend. I used to go there with my best friends to play in the games. We always saved our zenny so we could buy tickets to the tournaments." Zero closed his eyes, remembering, "There were three of us, myself, X, and Axl. We were friends for life, until it all fell apart. This way."

They followed the older Navi to the north. On the remains of a building, the figure watched them walk north. Glyde had landed, so there was no danger of being seen. Silently, the figure followed, jumping from building to building with ease. Ahead, another wall fell. The figure gasped, sensing rather then seeing the trap. He shimmered down into an alley not far from the Navis and quickly set up a road block. He hid behind it as the Navis came into view.

"It's blocked!" Zero glared at the roadblock in indignation, "We'll have to go around it."

Once he was sure the Navis were too far to see the light show his shimmering usually created, he shimmered to another alley and blocked it off. This went on for some time as the figure effectively routed the Navis around the trap with his roadblocks. He shimmered back up to the top of a wall to watch them reach the Coliseum.

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Pain. Everything hurt. Lan wondered if this was it for him. He could see Rock coming for more torture. Then something amazing happened. There was a diagonal slice and Rock screamed, vanishing. Lan blinked. The blue robed figure holding a shimmering rainbow sword locked kind emerald green eyes on his brown ones and smiled.

"Megaman?" Lan asked, "Is it you?"

The figure shook his head no as he walked closer to him and set him free. Then his rainbow colored antennae glowed, taking Lan's pain and injuries away. Gentle hands helped him sit up.

"You are going to be okay." the figure smiled again, "Rock won't hurt you anymore."

"Who are you?" Lan asked, "Why do you look so much like Megaman?"

"I am a Megaman. My name is Megaman X Light. You have heard about me, read about me in your history books. I can't stay long. I'll be seeing you soon." X smiled again, "Lan Hikari. Don't ask me how I know." With that, he shimmered away. Lan heard pounding footsteps coming his way. Chaud burst into the room with Protoman next to him.

"Lan! You're okay!" Chaud ran to him and embraced him before pulling back with a slight blush. Lan found himself being hugged next by Protoman who was smiling.

"What is with you two? I'm fine, thanks to Megaman X Light." Lan said, hoping down off the table, "What's with the looks? Were is Megaman?"

"Megaman X Light? Do you know who that is?" Chaud asked excitedly.

"Should I?" Lan asked.

"Hello! Do the Maverick wars ring a bell? how about the Elf Wars? Better yet, how about Remembrance?" Protoman sputtered in shock.

It dawned on Lan who they were getting at, "You mean that was the guy who killed himself to end some war?"

Chaud had to visibly restrain Protoman from whacking Lan with his sword at that comment, "Calm down, Protoman! That was Emperor Light of Neo Arcadia! Protoman, I swear, I'll hurt you if you don't put the sword away! Did you sleep through World History?"

"Well, I was usually too busy getting myself in trouble with my Navi to pay attention." Lan replied, staying clear out of reach of Protoman's sword. Chaud finally managed to wrest the sword out of Protoman's hand and after threatening to use it on Protoman, he finally got his Navi to calm down.

"Come on, you have to know who Emperor Light is! His death gave rise to us Navis! Back then we were called Cyber Elves." Protoman shut himself up at Chaud's dark look.

"Where is Megaman?" Lan asked, realizing something was wrong. A change came over Protoman. His shoulders sagged and he refused to look at Lan. Sadness rolled off of him in waves, "What are you not telling me, Protoman?"

"Just come." Protoman looked like he was in pain as he led Lan and Chaud back out into the main part of the coliseum, "Megaman felt you being tortured and now he is in a coma."

"How can that be? Megaman!" Lan ran to his fallen Navi, who was being held by Roll, with Maylu next to her. Dex and Gutsman, Yai and Glyde, and Tory and Iceman stood in a protective circle around them while Zero and Medic stood guard. "Megaman! Wake up! Please wake up! Why isn't he waking up?"

"Lan, stop shaking him. I doubt giving Megaman shaken Navi syndrome is going to help him any." Medic knelt next to him, "He's your twin brother, remember? You both can feel what the other is feeling." Medic's eyes glowed as she ran a scan on Megaman, "This isn't good. That code shouldn't be there. Lan, did Rock do anything to you?"

"He punched me a few times, and shoved something into me. It looked like a battle card, only thinner." Lan answered.

"Rock infected Megaman through you, Lan." Zero was shaking in rage, "Can you get anything from the code?"

"I'm afraid I can't decipher it fully, but what I can decipher looks like coordinates. M13, N13, M14, N14." Medic answered.

"That's City Center." Zero said, "Think of it like a graph. Ether City is a perfect square that is 26 blocks long on each side. City Center covers a four block square."

"Is that where we go next?" Iceman asked, sticking to Tory's side like glue.

"Dose anybody get the feeling that someone is leading us somewhere?" Glyde asked, his arm around Yai's shoulders protectively.

"He's right. Somebody put those roadblocks there for a reason. It was as if they were leading us around something." Roll brought up.

"Also, there is that piece of paper that led us here." Iceman added.

"That was me."

Chaud turned, and his eyes went wide, "E-emperor Light?"

X strode up to the group of Navis and children, "It was me. I led you here to your Netops."

Zero bristled, but kept his mouth shut. If looks could kill, X would have keeled over dead at the look Zero shot him.

"Why?" Gutsman asked, "De gutsu."

"I have come to take Megaman away. I know, this is hard to hear. There is nothing you can do for him. He has an ancient virus known as the Sigma Virus. It is too dangerous for him to stay with you. He is going to awaken soon, and when he does, there is a chance he won't be the Megaman you know and love. His mind will be gone and he'll see you as the enemy. I have seen the horror the virus." X stared directly at Lan. For Lan, it was as if X was looking into his soul. He looked back into X's emerald eyes. In them, he saw wisdom, compassion, sadness, and pain. X had seen a lot, and Lan knew deep down that he could trust him, that X would find a way to save Megaman if he could.

"Emperor Light," Protoman was in complete awe of who he was seeing, "I researched the Sigma Virus myself. Was it really that bad? Megaman is part human. I thought it affected only Reploids."

"It is a horror you never want to see. Friends become the enemy, you lose trust in everyone. You can not tell who is Maverick and who isn't by outward appearance. It used to affect only Reploids, until He got his hands on the last surviving sample." X's eyes darkened, "He altered it, made it so it would affect Navi kind. It does not have the potency of the original to spread by air and contact. Instead, He marketed it as a hot new ED that increased your abilities ten fold. Many Navis fell for it and got infected upon using the ED. Some realized their mistake, but even a Viral Cure ED couldn't stop the Virus, only slow it down just a little. It also made the change more painful."

"please, stop." Zero's voice was quiet, "I don't want to remember anymore."

"Let me take Megaman. Follow the clue I provided." X picked up Megaman gently and shimmered away. Lan didn't cry out or protest. Instead, he rose, squared his shoulders, and turned to face the little group.

"What are we waiting for? Let's go." his hands clenched into fists, "Maylu, Chaud, you two are the only ones capable of crossfusion, and Protoman, be ready to beast out at a moments notice. We do this for Megaman." Lan took charge. Iceman cleared his throat as he looked toward Lan, who turned to him, "What?"

"Protoman ain't the only one who can beast out you know. Need I remind you of my Ice Dragon form?" Iceman asked, scowling, "I can also crossfuse with Protoman and Tory."

"You can?" Lan asked.

"Where have you been this last year?" Protoman asked.

"Gutsman can also crossfuse with Iceman too." Dex added.

"I can crossfuse with both Iceman and Roll myself." Glyde replied.

"And I can beast out too." Roll put in, "Plus, I can crossfuse with Glyde."

"Anybody else?" Lan asked, and got no answer, "Okay, Protoman, Roll, and Ice, be prepared to crossfuse with your Netops, beast out, or crossfuse with Glyde, Gutsman, or each other. Lets go. Zero, I take it you've been here before."

"Yes, and we may not have to walk to City Center." Zero led them to what looked like a white bus sitting on a raised track, "This is the Tram. Hopefully, it is still functional." Zero pushed open the door and climbed inside, "Yes! It works! Everybody get on and hurry!" They all piled onto the Tram. Right away, Lan noticed that there was no driver's seat nor any way to steer. They all found seats and sat down. There were seat belt buckles which Zero told them to buckle in, and each seat came with lap bars and shoulder bars much like on a roller coaster. Plus, there was what looked like a car seat buckles. As soon as everybody was buckled and the bars in place, the Tram shot forward, and began to accelerate rapidly. Lan stole a look around. Chaud looked like he were having a panic attack as he clung to the bars and Protoman's left arm tightly. Protoman was white faced as he clung to Chaud's right arm and the bars tightly too. Iceman, Dex, Tory, and Gutsman were clearly having the time of their lives. Roll looked straight ahead, not moving or blinking. Maylu had a hand on her arm, comforting her. Dex caught Lan's look, pointed at Chaud and Protoman, and sniggered. Lan rolled his eyes. Zero was smiling and Medic was lost in thought. Lan wished for a second that Megaman were here, but quickly canceled the thought, knowing that his Navi would be screaming in terror at the speed they were going. It also brought to Lan's memory a time before Hub died when their parents had taken them to a fair. Lan had talked Hub into going for a ride on the roller coaster with him, which turned out to be a big mistake. While Lan whooped in excitement, Hub screamed in terror, riding the whole coaster with his eyes tightly closed and clinging so tightly to Lan's arm that he not only broke the skin, but left bruises in the shape of his fingers. Lan remembered that Hub had ran crying to their dad and refused to go on any other ride at the fair after the coaster ride except for the very slow moving train ride, and the swing carousel. Hub had refused to even speak to Lan for days after that. Lan smiled. The fair was one of the few memories he had of his brother. The Tram picked up even more speed. Suddenly, it rocked to a stop next to several large and ornate buildings. They piled off the Tram and stood together, taking in the beauty of the buildings. Chaud and Protoman made a beeline for the nearest bench and sat together, both still pale. Roll turned to Maylu.

"You were right. That was actually fun." she said.

"Did you see Chaud and Protoman?" Dex laughed, "I thought they both were gonna be sick!" he high-fived Gutsman, "That was fun!"

"you're right!" Lan added, "Who knew Chaud and Protoman, a fearless Netop and his equally fearless Navi, would be afraid of a fast ride?"

"Be thankful Megaman wasn't with us." Maylu remembered that day at the fair since she had been there with the Hikaris, "We'd all be deaf by now."

"Where do we go now?" Iceman asked.

"The oblivious place to start would be the quad, which is at the center of City Center." Zero began, "from there, we can spread out and search."

"That's good and all, but what about the welcoming committee?" Iceman asked, pointing at a swarm of viruses rushing toward them, "Protoman, let's fuse!"

"Got it!" Protoman was already up. The two Navis glowed and Protoman reappeared. He was now wearing Iceman's parka, boots, and gloves. His Navi mark showed the outline of Iceman's snowflake mark under Protoman's black an white mark. Protoman's usual red, purple and black suit was now several shades of blue. He held a long blue ice sword in his left hand. Protoman charged the viruses, hacking several to pixels as the other Navis joined him. Roll chose to beast out into the form of a pink pterodactyl. It wasn't long before the last virus was taken out. Suddenly, the pixels swirled together to form a single virus.

"What the…" was all Glyde had time to say before he was sent flying backwards to land in a heap at Yai's feet. Yai screamed, and Glyde held up a red ED, "Health ED, Download!" he was back in battle seconds later.

Gutsman got close enough to pound on the virus. A hard punch sent him skidding backwards a few feet. Protoman pulled out a black ED.

"Fire blade ED, download! Ice blade, fire fusion!" he called out, forming a fire sword in his right hand. He then held both blades over his head and brought them down together. A wave of fire and ice plowed through the virus, which merely reformed itself. Medic tried piercing it with her tentacles, but the virus reformed after each hit. Roll pulled out a blue ED, and held it up.

"Stats up ED, download!" Roll called, "Roll arrow!" Like before, the virus merely reformed after the hit. However, black spots showed where Roll's attack had hit. Roll thought, "Protoman, I've got an idea! Lets attack together!" She fired another roll arrow while Protoman released another wave of fire and ice from his swords. The attacks did something unexpected. They merged into a single flaming ice arrow that exploded as it entered the viruses body. Pixels scattered, and started to come together again. Only half the pixels responded, forming a blackened lump that tried to attack, but it seized and melted away.

"Impressive." Chaud said, "You did good. Great use of chips."

"They are called ED, or Etherdisks. Battle chips don't work here." Protoman glowed, reverting back to himself, "Iceman, how do you not overheat in that parka?"

"Easy, I freeze myself every time I start getting hot." Iceman answered, "Plus, keeping a body temp of -30 degrees helps too."

"No wonder you are so cold." Tory joked, "to viruses, anyway."

"With the welcoming committee taken care of, this way to the quad." Zero pulled everyone back together. They all followed him after Roll beast out back to herself. Before long, they all stood inside the quad, "Axl and I used to meet X here everyday." Zero walked to stand before a statue of what looked like X, "This isn't just for decoration." He placed his hand flat on the left side of the statue, "X led us here. This is where the four blocks of City Center meet." The statue shook, and the eyes lit up.

"Passcode." came X's voice.

"Internet Navigator." Zero replied.

"Next Passcode"

"Net Navi."

"Next Passcode."

"Internet Operator."

"Last Passcode."

"Netop."

"Welcome to the underground, Zero." the statues eyes shut off as it rolled backward into a niche in the wall designed just for it. Zero stood before a stairway leading down into darkness.

"Let's go." he said, leading the way into the darkness.

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Unknown to the humans and the Navis, they were being watched by X. he waved a hand, causing the screen to vanish. Behind him, laying on a bed, Megaman moaned as his body twitched in fever. X turned. He wished he could take away the Navi's pain and ease his suffering, but he knew that as long as Megaman suffered, it met that he hadn't turned. During his long life, X had sat by and watched many of his friends and family suffer from the virus before they turned. He himself had suffered from the virus, but by then, there was a working antivirus out that was pumped in huge quantities into his body. He had barely survived the treatment. X sighed. The boy, Lan Hikari, had looked up at him with such a hopeful look. Megaman moaned again, his cry ending in a harsh coughing fit. X finally rejoined him. Megaman's eyes fluttered open as he gasped through what must be torture from the coughing fit.

"Where am I?" Megaman asked, his voice weak.

"You are in a safe place." X replied, "Rest. You still have a long fight in front of you."

"Who are you?" Megaman asked, his body twitching through another wave of pain.

"I am Megaman X Light, and you can call me X. You are infected by an ancient virus known as the Sigma Virus. I know, it is extremely painful. Rest. It is going to get worse before it gets better." X replied softly.

"Where is Lan?" Megaman asked.

"He is at another safe place." X watched as pure exhaustion won out and Megaman drifted back to sleep, _'this is a battle you can not afford to lose, Hero.' _the blue Navi then turned back to where the screen was and brought it back with a flick of his wrist.

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"This place is huge!" Lan looked around, "It's like Scilabs."

"I'm curious. Zero, you keep saying before it all ended. You know more about this then you are letting on. I want answers." Chaud folded his arms across his chest as he faced Zero, Protoman next to him.

Zero sighed. He'd known this was coming. "Okay, I'll tell you everything. This mess started centuries ago. Two human beings, Dr. Thomas Light and Dr. Albert W. Willy created a robotic being named Protoman because he was a prototype. From him, came eight other beings they called Robot Masters. Dr. Light went public with his creations, but Dr. Willy stole and reprogrammed the Robot Masters and Protoman. He used them to wreck havoc, damaging New York City badly. To counter the threat, Dr. Light created two more robotic beings, twins. He called them Megaman and Roll." Zero walked over to a large screen and turned it on, "Megaman and Willy clashed many times. Then came a being called Sunstar. Megaman defeated Sunstar, but he did not survive his terrible injuries." the screen showed a blue figure and a larger black and purple figure with a head resembling that of a pharaoh locked in mortal combat in the sky over New York City, "Sunstar wasn't defeated. He was sealed away in a coffin by the dying Megaman. His body was found by Protoman several days later, slumped over the coffin containing Sunstar. Protoman changed. He became a force of goodness defending New York City, which you know now as Dentech City. Dr. Light created one last being, one which he sealed away for 100 years from human kind. This being was discovered by Dr. Cain. He was called Megaman X Light. Then I came on the scene. I infected Sigma, pitting X and myself against him numerous times. I actually died a few times. Axl joined us and we defeated Sigma for good. For a time there was peace. I decided to lock myself away for 100 years. I wish I hadn't done that. The long and bloody elf wars began. By this time, X had become Emperor Light of Neo Arcadia. He finally stopped the war by sacrificing himself to stop the Dark Elf. Through this, he became a Cyber Elf. His death caused a massive suicide movement. To stop the dying, his body was placed within a shrine so that humanity could still see him. I was found and awakened in time to help lead the Resistance against Neo Arcadia and Copy X. Willy returned in the guise of Dr. Weil. I battled him on a satellite called Ragnarok. I killed Weil, but the Ragnarok crashed, taking me with it, or so everyone believed. I survived only because X plucked me off of the Ragnarok at the last minute. For a time, I led Neo Arcadia. The Ethernet came into being during my rule. Cyber Elves found that they could live like their human counterparts inside the Ethernet, even X. they built Ether City. I finally joined them as a Cyber Elf along with my beloved Medic. As times changed, we became Navis and some of us bonded with humans and became their Navis. X came back and we found Axl. Times were very good." as Zero talked, the screen showed images of the people and events he described, "the peace wasn't to last. Sunstar came back. He became Pharaohman. X and I were fighting against each other in a tournament match when Pharaohman attacked. He had a massive Navi army at his disposal and he took over the Ethernet. Axl was caught. X and I mounted a rescue, but Pharaohman made a public show of executing Axl as an example to the rest of us. For several years, we hid, gathering our strength. Finally, we attacked. For months, we fought to a standstill. X challenged Pharaohman to a death match. Their battle lasted eight days. X won, barely, by sealing Pharaohman into a coffin in which he hid. The Ethernet gained sentience. Again, we found ourselves pitted against each other. A deadly virus swept through many Navis, turning them evil. The Ethernet broke into the human world and began to disrupt reality. Thousands of Navis marched into battle against the Ethernet while X and I worked to sever the links connecting the Ethernet to its power sources. Only 200 Navis returned. The Ethernet collapsed. All of us Navis survived by escaping to Scilab. Medic met her Netop, Dr. Hikari, there. Through X, Dr. Hikari gave us the internet. We built Net City, and Peace returned. X found that he could not exist in the Internet so he returned to the remains of the Ethernet. Now you know the whole story." Zero stopped talking.

"Dr. Hikari? Wait! That's my great grandpa!" Lan cried out, "He made the internet?"

"Yes. X can never be deleted because he carries the codes that makes the Internet possible. If he were to be deleted, the Internet will cease to exist." Zero explained.

"I hate to be blunt, but what are we doing here anyway? We got our Netops back. Shouldn't we be trying to get them back to their world?" Iceman asked.

"I'm getting to that. The Internet has started to decode, but not by X's doing. Rock's return confirms my suspicions. Willy is back. Rock is one of his Navis." Zero let the news sink in, "Medic and I prepared Megaman for this. It is the only way he'll ever be free of Willy."

"I hid more then just a cloak code within Megaman. He does not know this, but I hid codes that are set to activate if Willy ever returns. These codes will help make the battle easier on him. Willy has one goal, and that is to capture Megaman and make him his own. He almost succeeded once, but Zero and I drove him off." Medic finished.

"Willy wanted Megaman from the start." Protoman recalled, "He nearly succeeded, too. If I had not disobeyed that direct order from Chaud, I would not have gotten there in time to pull Willy off of Megaman."

"You did what? Wait, you pulled Willy off of Megaman? Isn't he human?" Chaud asked.

"I'm sorry I disobeyed that order." Protoman turned to his Netop, "Megaman and I had just tried our first crossfusion. As a side effect, we were left feeling what the other was going through for days afterwards. I could feel Megaman's pain, and hear him screaming in my mind. I had to go do something."

"Willy is human, why?" Zero asked.

"Arena field, remember?" Lan elbowed Chaud, who scowled at him, "Zero, where would X take Megaman?"

"X brought him here." Zero went to another screen, "Here is a map of the Underground. They are down the hall on the left, fourth door on the right. I'll let X know you are coming. Unfortunately, I can't let any of us Navis near him until we know for certain that the virus won't spread to any of us."

"I carried him, and we were close to him. What if we already have it?" Protoman looked pale.

"Calm down." Medic said, "I can scan for it. I'm going to scan each of us." She immediately went to Protoman, "You can relax. No virus." it was the same for the other Navis, Zero included. Protoman scanned Medic who was also in the clear.

Lan left the others and found the door leading to his Navi. He stopped, and stared at the pale colored door. Finally, he opened it and went in. X was sitting in a chair by a bed where Megaman lay. Lan gulped nervously as the former Emperor turned to him, and smiled.

"Lan. Megaman is asleep right now. It's okay. You can come in and see him." X's rainbow antennae glowed, causing a chair to slide toward him from across the room. Lan took the offered chair gratefully. X could sense Lan's emotions as the boy felt them. First came worry, then fear. X remembered feeling the same as he watched many of his friends and family suffer through the virus. Lan swallowed, and looked up to see X's emerald gaze studying him. He couldn't help but squirm. The eyes shone with kindness and calmness. Megaman moaned, his body twitching. The twitching worsened to a series of violent jerks before going still.

"Megaman? Emperor Light, what's wrong with Megaman? Why is he in pain?" Lan asked.

"Please, call me X. Emperor Light is too formal for my tastes. The Sigma Virus causes great pain while being attacked by the body's own immune system. Do you know what that is?" X asked, as Lan shook his head no, "The immune system is what attacks the germs that do get inside of your body. Sometimes, your body will react to the immune system attacking the germs by making you feel sick. Understand? Good. Megaman's immune system is attacking the virus in his body. If all goes well, it will isolate and destroy the coding making the virus. Megaman's body has reacted by fever, and by great pain, normal reactions."

"Can't you take away his pain?" Lan asked.

"I could, but I can't. As long as Megaman suffers, it means the virus hasn't won." X sighed, his rainbow antennae going dim. Lan noticed that X's antennae seemed to reflect the former Emperor's feelings.

Meanwhile, Iceman cornered Zero.

"You haven't even told us why we are here. Are we supposed to stop the decoding or not? How did our Netops get sucked into the Ethernet?" Iceman asked.

"Help, my Navi is stuck in question mode!" Tory joked, getting a death glare from Iceman, while both Dex and Gutsman burst out laughing. Even Chaud cracked a smile.

"You are here to Protect Megaman at all costs. If Willy gets his hot little hands on him, we're screwed, royally. I'm not sure how your Netops got here, but X may know, or he may be behind it." Zero answered, "Anything else?"

"Why are we protecting Megaman? Isn't that yours and Medic's job?" Iceman asked.

"Yes, but we can't do it on our own. We need you to help protect Megaman from Willy and his minions." Zero deadpanned.

"We already defeated Willy!" Iceman complained.

"You may have defeated Willy, but he has a knack for returning as you can see by the history lesson." Zero pointed out, "Megaman has to stop him on his own. It is the only way he'll ever be free."

"Then I'll help protect him. Right guys?" Iceman turned to the other Navis.

"I'll give my life for him." Protoman agreed.

"Me too." Glyde added.

"Me three." Gutsman put in, "De gutsu!"

"and don't forget me." Roll agreed.

"Us too."

"Numberman! Magnetman! What happened to you two?" Glyde turned to the new arrivals.

"We got lost." Numberman scowled at Magnetman, who blushed.

"I took a wrong turn and we couldn't decide where I took that wrong turn." Magnetman explained.

"Zero and I will do our best to protect him too." Medic put in.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"_Let me go!" Megaman fought the tentacles holding him in place, "Mama and Daddy will defeat you!"_

_Standing before the child Navi was an older man with white hair and mustache. One eye glowed red. He watched as Megaman struggled, and smiled. Beyond him, Pharaohman and Rock watched. _

"_I'm afraid not." Pharaohman spoke first, "You are powerful, too powerful for your own good."_

"_No I'm not! I'm only a level one virus buster!" Megaman screamed, "Honest!"_

"_It only took you twenty minutes to clear the level. You are strong." Pharaohman said, "Join us, child, and let us train you."_

"_Never!" Megaman managed to work his left arm free. It became his buster and he fired a shot at Pharaohman who levitated out of harms way._

"_Master W, his readings are off the chart. I haven't seen power like this before. He's the one." Pharaohman turned to the man._

"_He's a child still." Master W studied Megaman, "He is like that cyber elf and his predecessor." the red eye burned with rage at the memories of his past defeats by X and the original Megaman, "Pharaohman, convince him to join us. Use any means necessary. Rock, help him." Master W faded from view._

"_Yes Master W." Rock turned to Pharaohman, "I say we delete the brat and be done with it."_

"_Naturally, I would agree. We need the brat on our side if World Three is to stand a chance of both net and world domination." Pharaohman replied, "I hate that he is so young. Megaman, join us, and I'll train you personally. World Three is an organization aimed at fixing our broken world. We need strong Navis like you to help make that dream possible." _

"_No!" Megaman glared at Pharaohman, "you can't make me!"_

"_Rock." Pharaohman said, "Delete his fingertips."_

_Rocks single red eye flashed and Megaman screamed in agony as his fingertips rezed out._

"_Now, I'll ask again. Join us, or face a slow deletion at the hands of Rock." Pharaohman said again._

"_You can delete me and I still won't join!" Megaman screamed, "Mama and Daddy will delete you if anything happens to me!"_

"_Pharaohman! Rock! Come on! He's just a kid, like me!" a new figure stepped out of the shadows._

"_Bass!" Rock turned to the new arrival, "you stay out of this!"_

"_I can't believe my own mentors would stoop this low to torture a kid into joining us!" Bass's purple eyes flashed, "He's just a little kid!"_

"_You stay out of this! Our orders come directly from Master W! Are you questioning Master W?" Rock turned on Bass. Before he could strike, Pharaohman's eyes flashed, sending a pair of golden lights at Rock, destroying more of his cloak._

"_I am not questioning Master W! I am questioning his methods for getting a little kid to join us!" Bass glared at Rock, "It shames me to be your son!"_

"_Bass, do you know who that kid is? I don't like it ether, but orders are orders." Pharaohman sighed. Rock snapped._

"_Why you little twerp!" Rock lunged at Bass, who threw him back with a well placed buster shot. Rock lashed out with his tentacles, pinning Bass's buster arm behind his back. Bass twisted, tangling himself up farther in the tentacles. Megaman managed to call forth his buster. The shot was weak, but it distracted Rock enough that Bass was able to break free._

"_STOP!" a dark aura surrounded Pharaohman. Seconds later, a figure wearing a black, purple, and silver suit appeared, "ROCK! STAND DOWN!" a white hot golden buster shot plowed into Rock, stunning him._

"_You stay out of this, Pharaohman!" Rock complained, "This is between me and my ungrateful wretch of a son!"_

"_I should have stayed with mother!" Bass screamed, ignoring Pharaohman, "Oh wait, I forgot. You killed her!"_

"_Mariposa had it coming! She didn't see the big picture!" Rock screamed._

"_BOTH OF YOU STOP IT NOW!" the ground actually shook from the force of Pharaohman's words._

"_He started it!" Rock screamed._

"_I don't care who started it! I'll finish it! We are supposed to be convincing Megaman to join us, not fighting each other!" Pharaohman finally realized he'd changed, "Look what you did! You made me convert to Sunstar!" the dark aura surrounded him again as he reverted back to himself, "Megaman, do you not want to fix our broken world?"_

"_Our world isn't broken! It's creeps like you that break it in the first place! I'll never join you! Never ever!" Megaman screamed as Rock caused both of his hands to delete slowly, "I will never join you! Never!" the deletion traveled up his arms._

Megaman's eyes opened as a scream died in his throat. The pain was still there, but it wasn't from being deleted. It was from a deadly virus in his body. X's face swam into focus followed by Lan's worried face. Megaman tried to smile, but it came out as a grimace caused by a sudden wave of pain that hit him.

"Megaman? I'm here." Lan said.

"Lan? It hurts…" Megaman dissolved into a harsh coughing fit. Lan looked to X, who only shook his head in response to the unasked question. For Lan, this reminded him of watching his twin brother dying of HBD. He remembered that Hub had been in agony for days before slipping into a coma and dying days after that. He wondered if he was losing Hub all over again. It hurt, watching him suffer and knowing there was nothing that he could do to help. Turning, He caught X's emerald gaze.

"I wish I could take away his pain, ease his suffering, but I can't." X sighed.

"I know. it's the only way you can tell if he hasn't turned." Lan finished, "Hang in there, Megaman. By the way, how long?"

"let's see, It has been five hours, so we still have an hour to go. Ether he'll turn, or he'll defeat the virus within himself." X explained, "Sometimes, it can take up to 72 hours to see results. I suffered for 72 hours before the pain ended. After that, I slept for five days. It is likely we'll see the same thing here. Unfortunately, we don't have that long."

"What do you mean?" Lan asked.

"The Internet is decoding, and it is not my doing. It is the doing of Dr. Willy in an attempt to get me out in the open." X explained, "It won't work. I'll delete myself before I allow myself to be taken by Willy."

"That would destroy the internet, right? You would cause the deaths of billions of Navis just to keep yourself out of Willy's hands?" Lan asked in shock, "That would kill Megaman!"

"It would be better then Willy using me to threaten the deletion of the Net." X closed his eyes, "I can't allow that to happen. I'm not your standard Navi. I'm actually a Cyber Elf, the last of my kind. I can delete a Navi with a thought. Willy would use me as his Navi, and with me, he could take over the world."

"I'd rather die then live in a world ruled by Willy." Megaman's eyes were dulled from pain.

"But Megaman! We can stop Willy, remember? We stopped him last time!" Lan protested.

"If he has X, there is no hope. A Navi must never take up arms against a Cyber Elf. It means automatic deletion." Megaman tensed as a new wave of pain rolled through him, "Willy knows this."

"Is that true? Tell me it's not true!" Lan cried out.

Both Cyber Elf and Navi nodded.

"It's true, Lan." X replied.

Megaman suddenly screamed, his hands going for his left side. Lan felt the same stabbing pain and cried out. X reached out, a hand on both of them. Shock registered in his mind as he realized what Rock had done. The other five kids ran in then.

"Lan! Megaman! What's happening? Are they sharing pain?" Chaud cried out.

"I should have realized it sooner! The virus was given to Lan! Because Megaman is his twin brother, Hub, and since Lan is human, it wouldn't affect Lan, only Megaman! I have to try to get the ED out of Lan in order to save Megaman! Lan, this isn't going to be pleasant! It's going to hurt!" X screamed, "I'm going to need help with this!"

"What do you need me to do?" Chaud asked, Yai, Maylu, get the Navis into a room far from here! Dex, Tory, you are with me!"

"I need you to hold down Lan, and someone needs to hold down Megaman! Megaman is going to feel it a lot more then Lan will!" X ordered.

"Dex, Tory, pin down Megaman. I'll hold down Lan. Okay, Emperor light, we're ready." Chaud positioned himself so he was crouched over Lan, making it impossible for Lan to move. Tory was practically laying on top of Megaman while Dex leaned down on Megaman's legs, preventing him from moving. X knelt next to Lan first. His rainbow antennae blazed, and traveled down his arms to transform his hands into rainbow claws. He then laid a rainbow claw against Lan's left side. A white line traveled the length of a battle chip down Lan's side. Lan screamed. Chaud winced. Slowly, X drew the chip out of Lan. Megaman screamed, and twisted under Tory so hard that poor Tory ended up crashing to the floor. Dex clung to Megaman's legs for dear life as Tory scrambled to throw himself back on top of Megaman. X turned and like with Lan, a white line traveled the length of a battle chip down Megaman's side. The Navi screamed again, and managed to get a leg free from Dex, who was forced to dodge the thrashing limb as he tried to grab it. He barely missed catching a blue boot to the head twice before he succeeded in recapturing the leg. X concentrated on the task a hand. This time, he plunged a rainbow claw into the line of light. Megaman's body went limp. X drew out a second chip out of Megaman. This one was colored purple and black and it looked more like smoke then a battle chip. Both chips flowed into each other. X's rainbow hands blazed again, destroying the chips. Then the rainbow light traveled back up his arms and reformed back into his antennae.

"Lan, are you okay?" Chaud asked.

"yeah. That was worse then appendicitis. How is Megaman?" Lan asked as Chaud sat back to let him sit up. They looked at X as Tory and Dex released their death grips on Megaman.

"I got the source of the virus out of him." X ran a scan over Megaman, "Let him rest. He'll be fine in a few hours. Rock used the twin thing against us. The other Navis can now visit him without having to worry about contacting the virus. Lan should be fine now too." X looked tired as he resumed his seat.

**--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Queen Sunstar: Next update will happen in December because next month, I'll be busy taking part of NANOWRIMO, which is a writing contest where you write a 50000 word novel in one month. It starts at midnight on October 31st**** and ends at midnight on November 30****th****. Pm me if you are interested in receiving the link to the NANOWRIMO website.**

**Bass: Hey wait a minute here! You said Medic and Zero weren't the same ones from your Megaman X fanfics!**

**Queen Sunstar: Where did you come from? Okay, so they are the same ones. I didn't intend for that to happen. It sort of did.**

**Bass: my Netop, Amy, sent me.**

**Queen Sunstar: Bass, since when do you have a Netop named Amy? Don't you mean Amerella?**

**Bass: Since Amerella decided to be my Netop because you gave me an abusive father.**

**Queen Sunstar: Bass, Rock belongs to Amerella. Everything Rock is her idea.**

**Bass: hey wait a minute here! Amy!**

**Amerella: What? You can get back into the PET now.**

**Bass: Why does Rock hate me, and why is the PET rose pink?**

**Amerella: I love the color. Rock doesn't hate you, (a growl from her second PET on her jeans) Well, you don't!**

**Queen Sunstar: Amerella, why do you have two PETs, and how about a Net battle, Rock against Sunstar?**

**Amerella: I have two pets because Rock and Bass won't share. You're on! Ready, Rock? Jack in!**

**Queen Sunstar: Sunstar, ready? Jack in! Wide sword, chip in! Long sword, double chip in! Dream Sword!**

**Amerella: Barrier 500 chip in! oh wait! Dream sword cuts through barriers! Invisibility chip in! Rock! You okay?**

**Rock: I'm fine, Miss Amy. Sunstar managed to overshoot me. Give me a buster chip, please.**

**Bass: this is going to take a while. Queen Sunstar owns only Medic and the plot. Amerella owns Rock. Capcom owns everything else. (Goes back to watching the Net Battle) **


	3. Captured!

**Amerella: First, we make the playing field disappear with a Geddon2 battle chip in, download. Next, we download 4 arrow battle chips. **

**Queen Sunstar: Barrier 200 battlechip in and download.**

**Amerella: Unfortunately, I planned for that move. Arrow battle chips cut through barriers.**

**Queen Sunstar: Jack out, Sunstar! You win. **

**Amerella: Of course I win. I am an official net battler with Rock as my Navi. You are just a civilian. I wrote out the next chapter while you were studying your chips and planning out your next move.**

**Bass: I take it I'm a civilian Navi too.**

**Amerella: Actually, you are my undercover Navi. Now, on to the chapter. Sun, why are you sitting inside a cube?**

**Queen Sunstar: It's a writers cube. I don't get writers blocks. I get writers cubes.**

**Amerella: Forget I even asked. Queen Sunstar and I don't own anything except for Rock, who belongs to me, Medic, who belongs to Queen Sunstar, and the plot below. Capcom owns everything else. On to Chapter.**

* * *

"He'll wake up when he is ready, Lan. It has been only two hours since I removed that ED from you. Give him time." X sighed, as Lan asked him again why Megaman wasn't waking up.

"I hate this." Lan muttered.

"I hated it too." Zero replied from behind them, "Watching X suffer was the worst time of my life. I couldn't do a thing except sit by him and watch helplessly as he suffered. I don't remember how many times I begged Lifesaver to give him something to stop the pain."

"Remember, the worse is over. He is no longer suffering like before. This is good." X replied, "He'll wake up when he is ready."

"How often have we heard that from Lifesaver?" Zero asked, "let's see, there was the time when he had to practically rebuild your body after that mission."

"How many times has he rebuilt you? Oh wait, that was Gate. Never mind." X bantered back.

Lan couldn't help but smile as the two old, no ancient friends bantered back and forth. He found it hard to believe that Zero and X have been around well over 5 centuries.

"There was the time you died." Zero retorted.

Lan looked up, "X, you died?"

"Long story. I fell fighting Mars, and died about ten minutes later inside the HQ due to my injuries. I was gone for about two weeks until I was brought back." X replied quickly, "Zero has died twice. The first time, saving my skin, the second time, we both got ourselves killed. I was repaired by myself from the future, where I had just died, in a sense. I also repaired Zero then too. Lets see, I've died now four times."

"I wouldn't count the first time since you didn't really die." Zero replied.

"Good point. I was worse off then you were. You at least had an arm. All I had was my upper body and my head. I almost considered letting myself go and saving you, but I decided not to change history. The second time I died was against Mars. I was damaged over 96% of my body. I couldn't see and I could barely talk. The third time I died was by my choice. I absorbed something called the Dark Elf into my body, thus becoming a Cyber Elf. The fourth and final time I died was in Zero's arms. To stop Omega, I allowed Zero to use me as a power up. By doing that, I used up everything I had, even my own life force, to give Zero the power he needed to take down Omega." X continued.

"That was after he plucked me off of the Ragnarok." Zero finished.

At that moment, Maylu, followed by Roll, came in. Zero and X both took their leave, sensing that the two humans wanted to be alone.

"Megaman is not awake yet?" Maylu asked.

"No. there has been no change, ether. X says that this is normal." Lan replied glumly, "And then I had to listen to a history lesson. Did you know that X has died four times?"

"Yes, that was one of the history questions on our last history quiz from Mrs. Mari." Maylu replied, "Which we all know that you failed."

"Chaud's fault." Lan replied smugly.

"What is my fault?" Chaud chose to walk into the room at that moment, "If this is about that history quiz that you failed, that wasn't my fault."

"It was too! You were the one who dragged me into patrol!"

"You were the one who didn't study."

"I did study! I had Megaman quiz me on the way to school the following morning!"

"You call that studying? I hear it takes you five minutes to get to school."

"Will you two give it up already?" Maylu asked, "I highly doubt your bickering is helping Megaman any."

"He started it." Chaud said.

Lan lunged at him, and the next thing ether of them knew, they were being held up in the air by Roll's yellow antennae. She was also holding them apart so they couldn't reach each other, and her hands were on her hips.

"Thanks, Roll. I was about to separate the two myself." Maylu replied.

"You're welcome, Maylu. Lan, I know you are worried and stressed out about Megaman. You don't need to take it out on Chaud." Roll responded firmly, "Chaud, I know you love to egg him on and all, but right now is not a good time. I'm not letting you go until I hear you both apologize to each other."

"But he-" Chaud's reply was cut off instantly as Roll tightened the antennae holding him, "I'll apologize after Lan apologizes!"

"I'll apologize after Chaud apologizes!" Lan shot back.

"And I'll stand here all night until one of you does apologize!" Roll threatened.

"Come on, you two. Freedom is yours if you say the two little words, I'm sorry." Maylu glared at them, "I can make it painful." She reached for her PET and remembered that it was at Scilabs along with her battle chips, "Oh darn, I forgot, I don't have my PET."

"There is no need for the PET." Roll grinned evilly, "Shall I?"

"Well, are we going to apologize?" Maylu asked, mirroring Roll's evil look with one of her own.

The boys eyed each other.

"What can Roll do to hurt us more then tightening an antennae?" Lan asked.

"This." Rolls antennae flashed, eliciting yelps from the boys.

"All right! I'm sorry!" Lan was granted freedom.

"I'm sorry too!" Chaud was set free.

"Note to us, don't get the girls mad at us." Lan turned to Chaud.

"Agreed." Chaud agreed.

* * *

Voices, he could hear their voices. Why was it so hard to wake up? His eyes felt as if they were glued shut.

"I wonder if he can hear us talking." Roll said quietly.

He focused on her voice, trying to wake up.

"I like to believe that he can." Maylu answered.

'_I can hear you! I'm trying to wake up!_' Megaman thought to himself, trying again to open his eyes. This brought to mind of the eight hours he'd spent in a coma before dying back when he was human. He recalled the light pulling him toward it, of his desperate battle to stay with Lan, but the light had been too strong. '_I'm not leaving him again. Come on, Hub, open your eyes. You can do it._'

Megaman found himself standing in a dark tunnel. Behind him, was the light. In front of him, he could just make out a dim room. That was were he was going. The light won once, but it won't win again.

"Hang on, Lan, I'm coming back." Megaman walked toward the dim room ahead, "I will not go toward the light. I am stronger then I was the last time. I'm not leaving you again."

It felt as if he were walking through quicksand. He felt himself weakening. Turning, he found the light only a few feet away.

"You won last time! Not this time!" feeling a surge of strength, Megaman broke into a run. The dim room inched closer, "Lan, I'm coming!"

The quicksand feeling made his legs feel heavier and heavier the closer he got to the dim room. Megaman slowed to a walk. He was tired. The light behind him crept closer. Megaman turned to it.

"You already won once. Please, let me go back. I left him alone when I died from HBD. I am not going to leave him again. You have to let go." Megaman turned back to the dim room which looked so far away, "I can do this. I have to do this. The light is not going to get me this time." he pushed forward, refusing to back down.

* * *

"You had better have a good explanation for our missing children, Doc." Mr. Oregon, Dex's father, hissed at Dr. Hikari, who tensed up. Eugene Blaze, Chaud's father, cut between them before it could come to blows.

"Easy, Oregon. Let Hikari explain. If you don't like the explanation he gives us, you can hurt him." Blaze snapped.

"Where are they? Where are their Navis?" This came from Mrs. Ayano, Yai's mother.

"I'm here!" Mrs. Sakurai, Maylu's mother, was the last to arrive. With her was Mr. Froid, Tory's dad. "You called us together, Hikari?"

"The children are missing, and I have their PETS. Their Navis are missing too. I have an idea where they are. They are in the internet." Hikari explained.

"The internet?" the other parents all looked at him in shock.

"How?" Blaze asked, "Is Rock behind this?"

"I don't know. This is going to sound really strange, but I think they were sucked in through their PETS into the internet." Hikari said.

"You're crazy, doc." Mr. Oregon gave him an odd look.

Then things got even weirder. A light blue glow filled the room. A light blue orb hovered above the coffee table. It stretched itself into a human like shape. The shape grew into the size of an adult and features began to form.

"It's the Cyber One!" Mrs. Ayano breathed.

Cyber Elf X finished forming and solidifying. He smiled.

"Your children are safe with me in the Ethernet, their Navis too." X replied.

"Ethernet?" Blaze asked.

"The Ethernet was the internet before the internet." X explained, "They are safe with me. I will not let any harm befall them."

"How do we get them back?" Hikari asked.

"I will bring them back soon. We are waiting for Megaman to wake up. He had the sigma virus, but I was able to pull it out of him. As soon as he is strong enough, I will bring them home." X answered, "Rest assured that your children are safe." He began to fade.

"X? Is there anything we can do?" Hikari asked.

"I will send you a signal. When you get that signal, set up the DA space in the lab. I will send the children through there." X was gone.

Everyone in the room felt relief flow through them. They knew they didn't have to worry anymore.

* * *

"_Megaman?"_

"_Megaman, you are safe now. We are back in Scilabs where Dr. Hikari is fixing you."_

"_Mama?" Megaman opened his eyes. Medic smiled down at him._

"_Morning, sleepyhead." She smiled._

"_I'm safe?" Megaman asked._

"_Yes. You are safe now." Medic answered._

_Megaman held up his arms, "My hands are back!"_

"_Dr. Hikari fixed your arms for you. We will get you home in a few hours." Medic replied, "Here comes Daddy."_

_Zero smiled, joining Medic, "Morning, tough guy. You were in bad shape when we found you."_

"_Daddy!" Megaman flew into Zero's waiting arms._

"_I missed you, tough guy." Zero smiled._

"_I missed you too, Daddy." Megaman buried his face into Zero's shoulder, "Did you get the monsters?"_

"_Yes, I got the monsters. They won't hurt you anymore." Zero reassured him. _

"_Is he awake?" a man in glasses and a white lab coat walked over to the computer screen. Megaman squeaked and hid his face in Zero's shoulder._

"_Yes, he is awake, Hikari." Medic nodded to her operator._

"_It's okay, tough guy. It is just Dr. Hikari. He is the man who fixed you." Zero soothed, "Calm down. You will see him lots because he is mama's operator. Do you know what an operator is?"_

_Megaman looked up, "An Operator is a human in the other world that gives you battle chips in battles and repairs you when you need it. Some operators are nice while others are not so nice." _

"_Very good." Zero said, "Dr. Hikari needs to see you for a second to make sure you are okay. Mama and I are right here behind you. Dr. Hikari is a nice operator." Zero put Megaman down on the cyber ground, "Go on."_

_Dr. Hikari smiled at the little blue and yellow child Navi. Megaman managed to smile back despite his fear. At that exact moment, an eight and half year old boy with brown eyes and brown hair flew into the room. He raced toward Hikari who turned and smiled. _

"_Dad!" the boy tackled Hikari and nearly knocked them to the floor. Megaman yelped and dove behind Zero's legs._

"_Easy, Megaman. That is Lan Hikari, Dr. Hikari's son. Why don't you go say hi?" Zero asked._

_Medic smiled, "Megaman, Lan is a good operator too. He won't hurt you."_

_Nervously, Megaman peeked out from behind Zero. He slowly stepped out into the open._

"_Hi?" He managed, fighting the urge to dive behind Zero's legs again._

_Lan looked at the computer screen, "Hi! I'm Lan Hikari! What's your name?"_

"_Megaman." Megaman replied shyly._

"_I've never seen a child Navi before!" Lan said, "I can't wait to get a Navi of my own. Dad says I have to wait until I'm older, though."_

"_How come?" Megaman asked._

"_It is because of the new rules that say you have to be 13 or older to have a Navi of your own." Lan said, "I'm eight and a half. I've got four and a half more years to go. Hey! Maybe I'll get to be your Operator!"_

_Dr. Hikari smiled, "Lan, I need to run a few scans on Megaman to make sure he is growing the way he should, just like the doctor does with you." _

"_Can I watch?" Lan asked, "Hub always let me watch when the doctor examined him, if that is okay with Megaman, that is."_

_Megaman heard Lan's voice catch at the word, Hub._

"_Well, do you mind if Lan watches, H- Megaman?" Hikari asked, hoping no one heard his near misstep._

"_I don't mind." Megaman found himself feeling very comfortable around Hikari and Lan. He wondered who Hub was as Medic pixilated him over to the capsule for the scans. Lan watched with rapt fascination as Medic told Megaman to lay still so Hikari could take the scans. Megaman nodded to show he understood._

"_Why is it so hard to hold still when you are told to hold still compared to holding still without being told to?" Megaman asked Lan while waiting for Dr. Hikari to begin the scan._

"_You are right. Why is it like that?" Lan agreed._

"_Megaman, hold still. I'm starting the first scan." Dr. Hikari smiled._

"_I'm holding still, but I can't guarantee I'll stay still." Megaman smiled back._

_Lan couldn't help but feel a stab of pain. Megaman was acting so much like Hub. He even looked like Hub, same black hair and green eyes… _

"_Scan one is done, three more to go. You are doing great." Hikari said._

"_I'm holding still!" Megaman responded, "Fighting urge to twitch!"_

"_Don't move a muscle!" Hikari laughed out loud, "Scan two done, starting scan three."_

"_I'm really trying to hold still!" Megaman replied, "Sorry! I twitched!" _

"_Just finished scan three, so we're okay. Starting scan four." Hikari chuckled, "And… done."_

"_Finally!" Megaman waited for Medic to pixilate him back to the computer._

"_Dad, Megaman looks and acts so much like Hub did." Lan brought up._

"_Megaman does look a bit like Hub, doesn't he?" Hikari smiled fondly at the little Navi as he was embraced by Zero, "He has a lot of promise."_

Megaman's eyes flew open. He looked around and recognized the room he was in. For now, the room was empty. He sighed to himself, reviewing his last dream. It was quiet and peaceful. The door opened to reveal Medic who looked surprised and happy that he was awake.

"Please, don't call anyone in yet. I want to talk with you alone," Megaman smiled, "Medic, or do you want me to call you mama like I used to?"

"It is up to you." Medic drew up a chair, "I want you to know that I will always see you as my little boy. Zero too. What do you want to talk to me about?"

"I think more of my memories you blocked are coming back. I met Lan." Megaman looked up at Medic, "He was eight and a half, and very hyper. I felt so comfortable around him and dad."

"And you know why you felt so comfortable with them." Medic said.

"I know. It is because I am Hub." Megaman looked away from her, "I'm not sure what I should be feeling. A part of me is thrilled to be remembering this, while at the same time, another part of me is mad at you for blocking them."

"I see. I didn't want your memories blocked. It was decided to have them blocked so you wouldn't have to remember what Rock and Pharaohman did to you." Medic replied, "You were suffering from terrible night terrors. Zero and I had to let you sleep between us in our bed. It was the only place you felt safe. You hated it when we had to get up. It got so bad that we decided to block your memories. We didn't do it to be mean. We did it because we love you and we didn't want you suffering anymore."

"I'm okay now." Megaman thought, "Can you unlock the rest of them?"

"I wish I could. I bet Cyber Elf X could do it. I am going to go get him and let everybody know you are awake." Medic smiled "You stay and rest."

Megaman watched as Medic left. The door flew open five seconds later as Roll flew in leading the rest of the group. She literally tackled him in a hug.

"Megaman! I was so worried!" Roll cried, "I thought we were losing you!"

"I'm fine now, Roll." Megaman made her very happy by returning the hug, "I will never leave you, ever."

"Let me get through!" Cyber Elf X chuckled as he watched them crowding around Megaman, who found himself being hugged, shoulder clapped, and all but mauled. The group parted to let the Cyber Elf through after a few minutes. Megaman looked up and nearly did a double take as he found himself staring at emerald eyes the same shade as his own. He realized that some of X's features were nearly identical to his own. X smiled.

"You were pretty sick for a while there. I am going to run a scan to make sure the virus is leaving your system. Sometimes it can go dormant then attack later." X replied "I just need you to relax."

"I'm ready." Megaman relaxed himself, "Will it hurt?"

"You might feel some discomfort, but it shouldn't hurt. If you start feeling uncomfortable, let me know and I'll stop." X said.

Megaman nodded. X's antennae glowed as they ran down his left hand and formed what looked like a scanner. Starting with his head, X worked down to Megaman's boots, nodding to himself occasionally.

"You are in the clear. The virus is gone." X replied, "Now we have to wait for you to recover, which won't take long at all."

At that moment, sirens rang through the underground base. Everybody jumped except for X, who instantly teleported to the main room. The human children raced after him while their Navis chose to pixilate into the main room, Medic, Zero, and Megaman too.

"How many viruses are out there?" Lan was wide eyed as he stared up at the computer screen that was showing thousands if not millions of viruses. It wasn't just viruses, but ghost Navis too. Numberman turned from the computer.

"There is exactly 220000 viruses and ghost Navis out there which means 20000 viruses to each of us to take out." Numberman said.

"G-ghost?" Megaman went pale.

"You can handle it." Protoman stepped up behind him, "They were alive once. Pretend they are alive."

"I hate ghosts! I am not going out there until they are gone!" Megaman shuddered.

"Why are you so afraid of ghosts for?" Tory asked, "They are just spirits of those who have moved on and they can't hurt you."

"Well, remember that day at the fair, Maylu?" Lan turned crimson.

"Oh yea, I remember that day." Maylu looked a bit pink.

Everybody stared at them. It was Megaman who spoke next.

"That was not funny, you two!" he scowled at Lan and Maylu, "Back when I was Hub, our parents took us to the fair. Maylu came too because her mom had to work. Well, Lan talked me into going on the roller coaster with him. This by the way was during the four years my HBD went into remission. I went with him on the coaster and it wasn't fun."

"So a ride on a roller coaster made you afraid of ghosts?" Tory asked.

"It was called The Haunted Scream." Maylu said, "I was too short to go on it."

"It goes underground and that is where the ghosts are. Hub screamed through the whole ride." Lan finished, "There was this hologramed ghost that jumps out and shakes your seat. Hub sat there staring wide eyed at the hologram. Then it leaned toward him as we shot out of the ground and he screamed through the rest of the ride."

"That thing wasn't a hologram! It's eyes were too real and so was its bad breath!" Megaman protested.

"I told you, the bad breath wasn't real." Lan sighed, "In the mean time, we've got a gazillion viruses outside waiting to destroy us. Let's go."

"All of you Navis will fight. I'll stay here as the last line of defense between them and the children." X replied, "Don't give me that look, Lan. It is far too dangerous out there for you and the other children. You guys go, and stay alive out there."

"Are you ready for this, Megaman? Hiding behind me will not help you." Protoman stepped aside to reveal the quaking Megaman, who blushed, "I'll go Mega Soul while you go Proto Soul. That will give us both extra power and should help in the battle."

"I'm going ice dragon." Iceman decided.

"Let's get going." Magnetman started for the door.

Protoman slipped into soul unison first. He retained his purple but his red turned dark blue and his chest armor split down the middle to flow over his shoulders and turned golden. His long silver hair flowed back up into his head to form Megaman's hairstyle. Last thing to vanish as his helmet turned blue and gold was his visor. His red boots and gantlets turned dark blue.

Meanwhile, Megaman was going through changes of his own. His shoulder armor flowed to cover his chest and turned red. He retained his dark blue while his boots and gantlets turned red. His hands turned black. His helmet turned red as a green tinted visor covered his eyes. His black hair grew longer.

Iceman chose to wait until he was outside to shift to his beast form. It had been a gift from Dr. Hikari that had allowed him to take down the enraged fusion beast form Megaman who was laying waste to the Net. Iceman remembered how he had pleaded with Megaman to stop. Then Tory had given him the news that the Megaman they knew and loved was gone. Iceman shook the memory away. He didn't want to dwell on the past, no mater how painful it was. Quickly, he focused and shifted to ice dragon form in record time.

Using his busters, Mega Soul Protoman hit a virus and was shocked to see it flash a few times and come for more. He fired a charged shot with the same results. A few feet to his left, Proto Soul Megaman was having the same results. Overhead, Iceman used his ice breath with the same results.

"This is crazy!" Glyde tried a few ED which didn't help, "Why can't we delete these things?"

"They have got to have a weakness!" Roll cried out.

"Wait a minute! Glyde, join Iceman in the air! I want you two to search for a weakness!" Proto Soul Megaman ordered.

"On it!" Glyde flew up into the sky, "Nothing! They are everywhere and they are spread out!"

"Gah!" Proto Soul Megaman was caught in the blast from a ghost Navi that looked like Airman. The hit was strong enough the send him crashing into several viruses and it also sent him tumbling out of Proto Soul. Before anyone could react, the huge mass of viruses turned as one and pounced on the small blue Navi. Medic and Zero both reacted instantly. Zero threw a Domineered aside as Medic used her tentacles to pierce several spikeys and toss them into a pile. Non of the viruses deleted, but they flashed a few times. Megaman screamed, trying to get loose from the grip of a pair of Shadow2s.

At that moment, Cyber Elf X joined the fray. Rainbow tentacles shot from the ground to pierce viruses left and right, causing them to flash.

"Hit the viruses when they flash!" he called.

Medic responded by sending a wave of white tentacles through the viruses in X's own rainbow tentacles. The viruses deleted. This renewed everyone else. Magnetman magnetized a group of viruses which all flashed and vanished in an explosion caused by a dice bomb thrown by Numberman. A storm of Roll arrows followed the tail end of an ice storm created by Iceman. Mega Soul Protoman was using both busters now. Cyber Elf X hit the two shadows holding Megaman and deleted them with a wave of his hand. Megaman landed easily on his feet, already beast out as Falzar. He took over for Roll by replacing her arrows with his needle feathers.

Watching all this was Rock, and Pharaohman, hidden in their base within the Ethernet far from the scene of action.

"They found a way to delete your viruses, Rock." Pharaohman broke the silence.

"It is because of that blue guy with the rainbows on his helmet." Rock hissed back.

"What? Rock, that is a Cyber Elf! Do you know what this means?" Pharaohman Turned to him, excitement shining in his red eyes.

It dawned on Rock, "If we capture the Cyber Elf, Master W will be very thrilled with us!"

"Bingo! We capture both the Cyber Elf and the blue Navi together, and Master W will reward us big time!" Pharaohman explained, "You target the blue Navi while I go after the Cyber Elf."

"Deal." the two Navis pixilated into battle. Rock had not questioned Pharaohman going after X because he knew that as Sunstar, Pharaohman stood a better chance of catching the Cyber Elf then he did. Also, there was the sacred law stating that any Navi that takes up arms against a cyber elf will be automatically deleted. Rock knew that met Naviruses to. Pharaohman would be exempt from the sacred law because he wasn't a Navi, nor a Cyber Elf. Rock wasn't sure what Pharaohman was. Rock rose silently behind Megaman who was too busy hacking a Ratton3 to oblivion. He pounced, catching Megaman by surprise and allowing a Metfire2 light a fire rat that plowed into them, blasting them apart. Cursing, Rock charged again.

Pharaohman had better luck. He rose behind X who spun and tried to delete him with a wave of his hand. Pharaohman stunned him with a glare and opened himself like a coffin to capture X. He vanished. Rock soon joined him with a placid Megaman over his arm. They hightailed it to their base.

The viruses all went normal as Rock was no longer controlling them. It took the Navis nearly 20 minutes to defeat them. They gathered together with their operators in the middle of the battlefield. Iceman returned to normal as did Protoman. The Navis all looked battered. Gutsman had a rezing gash in his right arm, Roll was missing part of her left antennae and sported a few bruises, Iceman was rezing along his right side where a Tuffbunny2 had caught him by surprise, Glyde was missing a wing entirely as well as sporting a rezing cut over his left eye, Protoman was rezing in a few places, Zero was favoring his right leg which he was missing much of, Medic, a rezing cut on her right shoulder and left knee, was helping Magnetman stay up, Magnetman was covered with rezing gashes over much of his body as well as missing his left arm below the elbow, and Numberman was missing his right hand and was bruised up.

"Everybody okay?" Medic asked tiredly.

"I'm okay." Roll replied, "Protoman needs repairs, soon."

"So do I." Magnetman added, wincing as Medic shifted under him, "We all need repairs."

"Let's get you all back inside." Chaud went to Protoman's side

"Where is Megaman?" Lan asked.

"And where is Cyber Elf X?" Dex asked.

Everybody quickly looked around upon realizing that Megaman and X were missing. It was quickly decided regroup inside the underground base and go from there.

* * *

"Megaman, wake up."

"Megaman? I need you to wake up now. You've been out for hours."

"Megaman, can you hear me?"

"Hmm…" Megaman woke to find himself in a cell on a cot with X standing over him, "What happened? Where are we?"

"I am not sure where we are, but I think we got kidnapped. You must have been drugged because I couldn't get you to wake up for six hours." X explained, "This place is familiar, but I don't know why. I do know we are not in the Ethernet anymore. I think we are somewhere in the Undernet."

"Undernet?" Megaman sat up, "We are in the Undernet? Wouldn't that hurt you?"

"I would be suffering if we were taken to the regular Net. The Undernet is half Ethernet and half internet. I am okay here." X explained, "Now that you are awake, we can start trying to get out of here."

"I think not."

"Sunstar?" X hissed, literally shaking in fury.

Pharaohman smiled, "You recognize me. How nice."

"Sunstar? Isn't that Pharaohman?" Megaman asked.

"Master W is very pleased. He has big plans for you, Cyber Elf." Pharaohman ignored him.

X glared at him and waved his hand. Pharaohman sniggered, "Trying to delete me I see. You can delete Navis, Naviruses, viruses, and cyber elves like your self because they all are data. Not me. I am flesh and blood like you were once."

"I am still flesh and blood." X snapped, "Sunstar, I fought you once before and won. I'll fight you again and win."

"Master W is coming here himself to see you." Pharaohman sneered, "Soon, the darkness will come and the Nets will collapse! Then Master W will create a new internet and use it to rule the world!"

"He wishes. I'll stop him again like I always have." X deadpanned, "plus, I knew something like this could and would happen. I have put in a failsafe to ensure that he never sees the light of day again."

"You wish." Pharaohman left.

"I'll answer your questions in a minute." X closed his eyes and went transparent.

* * *

In the darkened DA lab, a computer whirred to life. If anyone was in the lab, they would have seen an orb surrounded by a pair of rainbow figure eights on the computer screen. Then, the siren began to blare.

* * *

**Queen Sunstar: Amerella did a good job in my book. This concludes chapter three. I will have chapter four up by this time next Saturday. In chapter four, Master W is revealed. A cookie goes to those who can guess who he is. It should be fairly oblivious. The kids will be returned to the real world with their Navis where they learn the true horror of the decoding Net. The only one who can heal the Internet is Cyber Elf X, but when he turns up in the Net in a place called the Graveyard which is found between the Undernet and the Internet, the Navis are mobilized and sent out to him. An explosion of darkness leaves one Navi on the brink of deletion and two others seriously wounded. **

* * *

:Preview:

"X stop this!" Protoman screamed, "Master W may control your body, but he can never bend your will!"

"I can't!" X cried out, "His will is too strong!"

The cyber elf began to glow brightly as he was forced to move toward a single grave standing alone. Protoman moved to follow. When X got to the grave, it began to glow. Roll, Gutsman, Iceman, and Glyde joined Protoman while Zero and Medic stayed back, realizing what was happening. They both screamed the word no, but it was too late.

The world turned upside down. The ground became a living thing as the sky ripped itself open in a deafening scream. Pure darkness flowed from the sky and up from the opening maw of the ground. Before anyone could react, there was a blinding flash of light, then darkness…

:End Preview:

**Queen Sunstar: Reviews are greatly appreciated and I will respond to all of them if I can. Next weeks update may be a tad late as my grandfather comes home from the hospital next week and I may have to stay a few days with him to help him around the house. He had a minor stroke and is having trouble with his left arm, nothing serious. See ya'll then!**


	4. Dark Force Rising

**Queen Sunstar: Sunstar is a Stardroid owned by Capcom. He was in the fifth Megaman game for gameboy. He was the final boss after Willy. BTW, Megaman Zero is coming to DS! (Squeals) **

**Amerella: Should I have told her that they are bringing the four Megaman Zero games into a DS bundle?**

**Bass: You are the sister, you tell me. **

**Amerella: While Queen Sunstar dances around like an idiot, here comes the next chapter done by me. Here is an idea! Hey Capcom! Megaman X 9 to WII, please! **

**Queen Sunstar: They do that, and we'll never see you again!**

**Amerella: That's the whole point! BTW, I caught you playing Megaman X Command Mission last night on the WII.**

**Queen Sunstar: I was venting frustration on that Numberman wanna be because I was battling Seraph X on my first MMZ game and lost. Then I moved on to cremating the virus beast in Megaman Battle Network 2. Let's just say Geddon3 works wonders when Lan decides to cooperate with me by sending a repair chip right after the Geddon3.**

**Amerella: So that's how you did it. You could have been like me and used high level Navi chips with Navi plus, Attack plus, elemental plus, and my favorite thing, advances! Let's see, Gateman plus wind plus fan rocks. Especially when you have three Gateman chips, one Gateman2 chip, and one Gateman3 chip plus lots of wind and fan chips. I beat the Virus beast on my first try, unlike you, which took you two weeks to do it.**

**Queen Sunstar: I beat the life virus on my first go! You beat it on your second go! I'm done discussing this with you. **

**Amerella: If you would learn to strategize, the final boss wouldn't be so hard, namely Seraph X.**

**Queen Sunstar: I was packing three health restore Elves, and three full E-Tanks! I still couldn't beat him! **

**Amerella: Enjoy the chapter below while I teach my sister all about listening for and dodging Seraph X's attacks.**

* * *

Inside the underground base, it was quiet. Medic and Roll busied themselves healing those who needed it, which was everybody. Lan was quiet. To him, this was a low blow.

"What happened out there?" Dex asked softly, "Is there anyway we can see the battle over again?"

Zero suddenly brightened and leapt to his feet, forgetting about the leg he had hurt which Roll was healing. Roll yelped in surprise.

"Oh sorry, Roll!" Zero sat back down, "I forgot about the surveillance system. Let's hope X kept it in good repair."

"Finished!" Roll moved on to Iceman.

"Finally." Zero stood and walked over to the main computer screen. He soon had the battle replaying. They spotted Pharaohman first. Lan went white, and bit back a cry of anguish. He remembered all too well the final battle during the N1 Grand Prix. Megaman had protected Protoman from Pharaohman's attack, but he had paid for it with his life. The image of his beloved Navi deleting had imprinted itself in Lan's mind as he stood there and watched, tears running down his face.

"No. Not again. I refuse to believe Pharaohman deleted Megaman. Not again! No!" Lan started screaming. Medic calmly walked over and hugged him.

"We'll get him back, Lan. I promise." She whispered.

"Pharaohman is going after Cyber Elf X!" Zero cried out, "He captured him? Why didn't X just delete him?"

"X can't delete flesh and blood, or in this case, oil and synthetic skin." Medic replied, "You haven't forgotten who Pharaohman is have you?"

"Pharaohman is Sunstar, the Stardroid." Zero spat, "No one has been able to defeat him. The original sealed him in a coffin, X drove him back into aforementioned coffin, then he somehow ended up in the hands of Tadashi Hikari, great grandson of Dr. Thomas Light. He then created that out there."

"Then that means that somehow, Sunstar is controlling Pharaohman?" Protoman asked.

"Sunstar is ether Pharaohman, or Pharaohman was created from Sunstars DNA?" Chaud asked next.

"Sunstar and Pharaohman are one and the same. Tadashi Hikari had the coffin. He realized how important it was and was instructed to hide it by X. He did so and then with X's help, created the internet. X told him to hide the codes that make the net possible in him. X stayed with Tadashi until he died. Then X hid himself away inside the Ethernet. Tadashi and X were quite close. Tadashi found the way to defeat Pharaohman and may have told it to X." Zero explained.

"There's Megaman! He wasn't deleted!" Roll screamed, pointing at the screen.

"There's Rock." Medic hissed, "He's got Megaman! They were captured!"

Lan looked up, "We have to go save them then."

"Not this time."

"X!" Zero cried out.

X smiled sadly in greeting. He was transparent and floating a few inches above the floor.

"But X!" Zero protested, "I always saved you every time you got in trouble! Just tell me where you are! I'll come for you! I promise!"

"Not this time, Zero. I must remain where I am. I have already set in motion the plan to save and protect Megaman. Lan, I know this is going to suck, but Megaman has to go away for a while. He will be safe in the protection of Bass and Freezeman. I know that Freezeman is a Darkloid, but he is loyal to me as is Bass. Megaman will be okay. Willy must never get his hands on him, no mater what." X explained gently, "Freezeman and Bass know that when the time comes, they will have to get Megaman to a certain place where he must receive a certain battle chip that will basically unlock the light within. I'll see you all soon." X began to fade.

"X wait!" Zero tried, but X was already gone, "Dang! What did he mean by the light within?"

"Guys, look!" Tory pointed to the far wall.

"It looks like that door that opened up at Gauss's mansion, when we were in the Virus Beast's cage!" Iceman called out.

Lan instantly looked away. Gauss's Mansion met more bad memories. He remembered the extra code, Megaman already weakened by a strange infection, and the Aqua custom style. He remembered Glyde rising with Megaman in his arms. Megaman had looked so lifeless. Lan remembered his fear all too well as he was forced to stand aside and watch as Famous battled to save Megaman.

"_The infection is advancing so rapidly, and the damage to his system is so severe." Famous studied the small blue Navi._

"_Can't you do anything to save him?" Lan asked fearfully._

"_I have great faith in Hikari's creations. I'll do everything I can for Megaman." Famous replied._

_Lan turned to watch his beloved Navi. He knew Megaman was fighting for his life. His eyes were closed and his teeth were clenched against what must be torture. _

"I'm going to scan it first." Protoman's voice jarred Lan back into reality as he walked over to the opening and his visor went black and white. It was like watching a broken TV screen although not as bad. Protoman stepped back, "It leads to the DA space in Scilabs."

"It's our way home!" Yai walked over to the door.

"I'm not leaving." Lan spoke up, "I don't care what X says! Megaman is my Navi! He is safest with me in Scilabs! I'm going to get him back!"

"Lan." Medic sat next to him, "Willy is very dangerous. If he gets his hands on Megaman, bad things will happen. It is hard, but it is better this way. Bass and Freezeman have spent their lives training for this mission under X. They will keep him safe. It won't be long. Soon, Willy will disappear back into the hole he came from and Megaman will get to come home to you. Don't give me that look now. I got it a lot from Megaman back when he was a child. Do you want Megaman to be in constant danger, which will put you and your parents and me in constant danger?"

"No, but it isn't fair." Lan muttered.

"You guys go through, I'll be through with Lan in a minute. I know it isn't fair. We can't let Willy get Megaman now, can we? How about this. I'll contact Freezeman and see if you and Megaman can see each other for a bit tonight, okay?" Medic asked.

"Okay." Lan was sullen as he stood and followed Medic over to the doorway and stepped inside. He tried sneaking back, but a pair of Medic's tentacles followed right behind him and blocked his attempt. Then they were through before Lan could try again. The DA field dropped, sending the Navis to the internet and letting the children into Scilabs. Their parents were waiting and the next five minutes were spent in hugs and explanations of where the kids had gone.

"Where is Megaman?" Hikari asked Lan.

"He got Navi napped by Rock, and Medic and Zero won't let me go save him, and now I can't because I'm not in the Ethernet anymore." Lan explained sullenly.

"Doctor, we knew this would happen." Medic spoke up from her PET, Zero beside her, "He is safer where he is going. I'm not sure if Lan understands."

"I'll talk to him. You look like you could use a sleep cycle, Medic. You too, Zero." Hikari pulled out the PET, "I'm setting a sleep cycle for both of you." He pushed a few buttons and the screen went dark, "Six hours, you two. I'll wake you if we need you." He clipped the PET onto his pocket.

* * *

_Zppt! Bzzt! Zppt!_

"Mr. Higsby?" Spoutman whimpered from the counter where he'd hologramed himself. Spoutman belonged to Shuuko. Higsby was watching him while Shuuko ran some errands for him. Normally, the child Navi would go with his mistress on errands, but since the appearances of tougher viruses in the Net, Shuuko started leaving Spoutman behind to keep him safe. Even Megaman was having trouble fighting these viruses.

Higsby had his back to the counter, polishing several of his rare gold chips, "what is it, Spoutman?"

"Higsby?" Spoutman whimpered again.

"Is it a customer?" Higsby finally turned around and nearly screamed. This was no customer. For one thing, it was transparent. He could make out a pale blue robe etched in a silver cross. The face showed only emerald eyes. Higsby and Spoutman felt calmness flow through them. They knew that this could only be the Cyber One. The Cyber One lifted a hand and dropped something on the counter. Faintly, they heard the words, Lan, you'll know when. Then he was gone. Higsby looked down at the chip and gasped. It couldn't be, could it? The chip looked like a dark chip except it was white with a blue center. Spoutman stared at the chip in awe. He could feel the power the chip contained. At that moment, Shuuko entered the shop with several bags in her arms.

"What is with you two?" Shuuko walked over to the counter and dropped her bags in shock as she saw the chip, "It can't be!"

"Shuuko, I can feel its power!" Spoutman looked up at his mistress.

"It's a light chip. There was only one in existence, but it was supposedly shattered after it was used by Hikari and Medic during the attacks on 9/11." Higsby explained, "It gave Medic the power she needed to stop the darkness, but it almost killed

her."

Shuuko nodded. Spoutman looked curious. He was too young to remember 9/11. Shuuko hadn't told him much about it. For her it was painful since she lost both of her parents that day.

"What is 9/11?" Spoutman asked.

"It was a day of terror. It all started at nine AM. Scilabs suffered a catastrophic computer crash that left them scrambling. About ten minutes later, an IPC private jet was high jacked and it slammed into the main building of Scilabs. Then IPC got hit twice. It came down thirty minutes later. There was a fourth plane where the passengers managed to overpower the highjackers and bring down the plane into a field. The Net was down and with it, most communications. On the Net, Gospel, a darkness so vile, was released. Medic and Hikari realized that no net battlers would be able to stop Gospel, so they decided to fight it themselves. Medic proved herself strong as she took out Gospels five Life Viruses and attacked Gospel herself. Gospel was creaming her. In a last desperate gamble, Hikari used the Light Chip which healed Medic and gave her the power needed to destroy Gospel. She was heavily damaged and on the verge of deletion. Gospel had one more trick up its sleeve. It restored itself by taking the last of Medic's energy. As she went down, we all grieved, realizing it was all lost. Then it happened. Awakened by the final terrified scream of the light, the Cyber One rose. Seeing what had happened, he challenged Gospel and sent him to his grave. He then healed Medic. The Cyber One promised to always be there for us and to protect us. It is the Cyber One who keeps the darkness at bay." Higsby explained.

"I saw the Cyber One." Shuuko replied, "He gave me you, Spoutman. He was the one who told me that my parents were gone. Having Spoutman helped me cope with the loss. What do we do with this chip? We can't sell it."

"It has to go to Lan, but not yet. The Cyber One told me I'll know when it is time." Higsby smiled.

* * *

Bass and Freezeman stared at the layout of the base they were going to break into, retrieve Megaman, and get out from.

"Any ideas?" Bass asked.

"Well, I have an idea, but you are not going to like it." Freezeman turned to him, "When we get there, you play the injured wife. That will get us inside. Then, while you keep Pharaohman and Rock entertained, I'll find some excuse to leave and head to Megaman's location and get him out. Then I'll come back for you and we can then leave."

"I see a few major flaws. Number one, I am not going to pretend to be your wife! Number two, How am I supposed to keep Pharaohman and Rock entertained?" Bass asked.

"I don't see you coming up with any ideas!" Freezeman glared at Bass.

"I do have an idea. I lock on to Megaman's ultimate program with my own ultimate program and transport directly to him. Then we all can pixilate back out and go to the place." Bass replied smugly.

Freezeman sighed. As usual, his partner comes up with a better plan.

* * *

It took a few minutes for X to work out the kinks in his body from astral projecting. It was worse this time since he traveled to three different places. X knew that he had to be careful with how long he spent in astral projection or else he was going to end up deleting himself. Megaman was watching him with his arms folded.

"I'm waiting." he replied.

"Pharaohman started life long ago as Sunstar." Cyber Elf X explained everything to Megaman, "This is a war that started long ago with the creation of Protoman Blues Light, the first creation of Dr. Thomas Light. This terrible legacy will finally end with you, Megaman."

"Terrible legacy?" Megaman questioned.

"That would be Willy. The original fought him, I fought him, now it is your turn. You must defeat him. It ends with you." X explained.

The back wall wavered as Bass pixilated in with Freezeman. They both instantly dropped to one knee with their heads bowed in respect.

"Cyber One, we have come." Bass replied.

"Rise." X ordered, "You know your mission as I know mine. Let's strive for success."

Freezeman rose, "Megaman, I'm afraid I must do this."

Megaman's eyes widened in shock as Freezeman injected something into his body. Slowly, his eyes closed and he crumbled to the ground. Bass scooped him up. The two Navis pixilated out with Megaman in tow. Cyber Elf X turned toward the cell door, and waited.

* * *

All of the Navis were now fully repaired. Numberman pixilated out to his PET. Magnetman returned to the power plant where Electman was. Everybody else returned to their PETS for some much needed rest. Lan ignored his PET. Megaman was not on it, so he had no use for it. The main computer suddenly flashed, drawing everybody's attention to it. Freezeman pixilated onto it. Lan gave him a hateful glare.

"Extraction was successful." Freezeman replied, "I have a message for a Lan Hikari from a Megaman."

Chaud cracked a small smile. Even Lan was trying not to smile, and failing at that. Freezeman was known as a joker.

"I'm right here, Freezeman." Lan stood.

"Cheer up, Lan. I'm not going to kill him. I'm on the good side now. I'm going to protect him. Bass too. Bass knows that if he so much as harms a single hair on Megaman's head, a rainbow spike and an icicle will be the least of his worries." Freezeman smiled, "He'll have a Roll whip, a Dice bomb, a Blizzard, a Guts punch, a Z-saber, a white spike, whatever rare chip Yai gives Glyde, a Cyber sword, a Magnet ball, two bolts of electricity, a merged fire and water tower, a fire tower, and a Magic blast to deal with. Megaman wants to talk to you, Lan. He is worried about you."

"May I talk to him?" Lan asked.

"Here he is." a screen dropped down by Freezeman who pretended it had hit his foot, causing those watching to laugh, even Lan, before tapping the screen on. Megaman's face appeared on the screen.

"Hey Lan." Megaman didn't smile.

"Megaman!" Lan stared up at the face of his beloved Navi, "Why did you do this to me?"

"I don't get a say in this matter, Lan. Do you think I like having my destiny picked out for me? I have to save the world whether I like it or not! Why me? I'm not that special or even that strong! Protoman is far stronger then I am. He's got more heart then I've got! Wouldn't he be the better choice?" Megaman asked, his eyes flashing, "It can't be Protoman because he is not the one. I'm the one!"

"Hub!" Hikari stepped up to the screen, "You stop this!"

"Don't call me Hub! You, Dr. Hikari, are the worst! You only created me so Hub would live on!" Megaman snapped, "Guess what? I'm not Hub! I'm Megaman, an entirely different person! I'm forced to live in Hub's shadow! Why? Just because I carry a bit of Hubs DNA?"

"Megaman! Stop! Please, just stop!" Lan felt as if his heart was breaking, "You are my best friend! Please, stop. You know me!"

"Do I really know you?" Megaman's voice was cold.

"What is wrong with him? The Megaman we know wouldn't do this!" Maylu cried out.

"Lan, I'm sorry. I can't be your Navi anymore." Megaman looked grief stricken as he talked, "Find a Navi who will love you. Get over Hub. Let go of the past."

"Megaman! No!" Lan screamed.

"It is for your own good, Lan." Megaman tried to explain, "What I have to do, it is better for you this way." the screen went dark.

"MEGAMAN!" Lan screamed, beating on Hikari's chest as the doctor held him, "MEGAMAN!"

"Lan, calm down." Hikari soothed, only to get silenced by Lan screaming the name of his beloved Navi again.

Chaud stared at the darkened screen, and at Freezeman's shocked face. His mind reeled in shock over what he had seen. A Navi renounce his own operator? This was unheard of. Something was really wrong here. He wished Protoman was awake so he could discuss this with him, but he knew his Navi needed the rest cycle even more.

"Why did Megaman do that?" Dex asked softly, "Megaman isn't like this!"

"Tell me about it." Tory whispered, "Something isn't right here."

"I agree. Was that really Megaman?" Chaud asked, thinking of Dark Megaman.

"It was Megaman." Famous spoke up, "I'm sorry, Lan."

"Lan is asleep right now. I had to knock him out." Hikari rose with Lan in his arms, "I'm taking him to my office."

"I'm going back to Bass." Freezeman vanished.

* * *

"Are you sure this must be done?" Bass was still in shock over what Megaman had done. The small blue Navi sat facing away from him, his head hung low.

"Yes. This way, my passing won't be so hard on Lan. I know I am not going to survive." Megaman's voice was low.

"But what then if you do survive? Lan may not forgive you." Bass asked.

"It had to be done." Megaman rose and walked away. Freezeman entered the room.

"My god what has he done?" Bass whispered.

"He really hurt Lan. I hope he knows what he is doing." Freezeman whispered back.

In another room, Megaman laid on his bed and stared up at the ceiling. He thought about what he had done. His vision blurred and he blinked, wiping tears from his eyes.

"Have I screwed up? Should I have Lan be apart of this?" Megaman mused softly, "No. It is better this way." He rolled to his left side as an image came unbidden to his mind. Once again, he saw himself in a battle arena looking up at Protoman as he accepted the offered hand. As Protoman helped him up, Megaman saw the flash of gold and reacted instantly, shoving Protoman aside and taking the hit. Megaman remembered the blast of agony, and Lan's face. It was Lan's face that haunted him during his waking moments. Each time he was injured and put to sleep for repair, he dreaded waking up for the fear of seeing Lan's face. He remembered the look of grief and horror, then came the pain free darkness of death as Megaman's body disintegrated into nothing. The door opened and closed softly as someone came in. He felt the bed shift as someone sat down next to him. For sometime, it was quiet.

"Megaman?"

Megaman recognized Freezeman's voice, "What?"

"Um, I saw what you did." Freezeman said, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No." Megaman replied, "I just want to be left alone."

"Why did you do what you did?" Freezeman stood.

"You wouldn't understand." Megaman's voice was low.

"Try me." Freezeman replied.

"No." Megaman closed his eyes.

Freezeman sighed and left.

"I might." came another low voice.

"Go away." Megaman snapped back.

"Megaman, you are hurting." Bass stepped closer to Megaman's bed.

"Go away!" Megaman screamed, "Just go!"

"I know how you feel." Bass didn't back down, "You are angry with yourself."

"Will you please go?" Megaman rolled over to face Bass, "Just leave me alone!"

"It's eating you up inside that you did this." Bass pressed on, "You feel guilty. Lan is hurting because of you. You basically ripped out his heart, spat on it, and tossed it back to him."

Next thing Bass knew, he was up against the wall and staring at the business end of Megaman's buster.

"Will you leave me alone?" Megaman hissed at him.

Bass decided to save his skin by leaving. He would try again later. Just then, Freezeman screamed. Bass raced toward him and nearly screamed himself as he saw hordes of what looked like black life viruses skittering toward them.

"Darkness Overload!" Bass called, watching in shock as his strongest attack was merely absorbed by the life virus in front of him.

"Blizzard Crystal!" Freezeman tried, only to get the same result.

"Charged Shot." a beam of white light shot between them and deleted the first three viruses. They turned to see Megaman, head down. He lifted his head.

"Those things are Dark Viruses! I thought they were just a myth!" Bass realized.

"They are no myth. Charged Shot!" Megaman's voice was flat as his next shot took out three more viruses.

"They are weak to light based attacks. Hmm, oh I know! Light Blizzard!" Freezeman deleted a virus.

"I don't have any light type attacks!" Bass cried out, "Dark Arm Blade!" He hit a virus and dealt it no damage, "I'm useless!"

The viruses unleashed a withering barrage of dark type attacks that Bass and Freezeman both couldn't dodge. Megaman screamed, and Bass felt rather then saw the sudden flow of data across his left shoulder. The attacks came faster and faster, ripping through Basses body and leaving behind open wounds. Freezeman was screaming now. No, was it him that was screaming? Half turning, He saw the viruses swarm over Megaman. Then everything went dark.

* * *

X looked up as footsteps stopped outside his cell. Pharaohman and Rock stood side by side as a pair of dark viruses stopped behind them.

"Now what?" He asked.

"We have a deal to make, Cyber Elf." Rock hissed.

"Not interested in your deal." X hissed back.

"You might be interested after seeing him." Pharaohman and Rock stepped aside to reveal the two viruses who stepped forward. X gasped. Between them, looking beaten, was Megaman. His head was down, and data flowed from a gash across his chest. He lifted his head slowly. His left eye was nearly gone as a gash cut through the eye. He looked bruised and battered.

"Megaman?" X paled, "You let him go!" he waved a hand, deleting the two viruses holding Megaman. Megaman stayed still. It was then that X realized the viruses were for show.

"In fact, here comes Master W." Rock growled, moving to stand behind Megaman while Pharaohman stood to the left of the cell. Master W stepped into the light. His hair was white as was his mustache. His left eye was a red orb while his right eye was black. He wore brown pants with a brown trench coat over it. A cane topped with a sliver skull was in his right hand.

"Willy." X glared at him, "You have lost!"

"Have I?" Willy grinned, "Curious to know how I'm here on the Net? I am not telling you. You will obey me unconditionally as your master. If you don't, well you don't want to find out."

"If I refuse?" X growled.

Rock sneered, a black tentacle rising to slice Megaman's back, causing the Navi to scream in agony. X jerked to as if he had been hit.

"If you refuse, Megaman gets hurt." Willy grinned evilly, "You are under my control." Willy's red eye gleamed, and X felt something push against his mind.

"Fight it…" Megaman turned his good eye to X, "Don't worry about me… I can handle it…"

The pressure pressing on his mind grew worse. X narrowed his eyes. He put up walls around his mind, hoping to stop Willy. Willy merely grinned again and X screamed, Willy's mind tearing down his walls and forcibly entering X's mind. X froze, eyes wide. He knew he was no longer in control of his body.

* * *

A red PET turned itself on as the Navi it contained writhed in the throes of a nightmare. Protoman was sweating and mumbling in his sleep, which got Chaud's attention. He glanced down at the PET.

"No, please, no, not this again!" Protoman cried out.

"Protoman! Wake up! You are having a nightmare!" Chaud yelled at his PET, "Just wake up!"

"Why Megaman?" Protoman cried out, his voice one of anguish, "Why?"

"What is wrong with Protoman?" Maylu heard her own PET turn on, "Roll?"

"Mega, please! Let me help you!" Roll screamed.

"Roll too?" Chaud asked.

Tory and Yai raced over to them, their own PETS on and their Navis crying out in their sleep.

"Iceman won't wake up! Nether will Glyde! What's wrong with them?" Tory asked.

"Where is Dex? Is Gutsman affected too?" Maylu asked.

"Dex went home." Chaud ran to the pay phone and called Dex, "Dex? Chaud. Is Gutsman having a nightmare? He's awake? Get him over here! He is needed to wake up our Navis! Don't ask stupid questions! Just get your backside over here now!" He hung up, "Dex is on his way. Gutsman is awake."

"Why isn't Gutsman affected?" Tory asked.

"it's probably because of his pea sized brain." Yai snapped, "Glyde, wake up!"

Two more Navi voices cried out next. They came from Hikari's PET, and from the looks of it, Hikari couldn't get Zero or Medic to wake up ether. Dex arrived back at Scilabs ten minutes later. He ran to the Repair Lab and went in. on the big computer against the far wall, Roll, Glyde, Iceman, Protoman, Zero, and Medic slept on, their sleep restless. Protoman cried out something about Megaman and was joined by Glyde and Zero.

"What's going on?" Dex asked.

"They are having nightmares and I can't get them out of it." Hikari turned, "Is Gutsman affected?"

"No, guts." Gutsman answered for himself, "Want me to try to wake them up?"

"I can't find anything wrong with them, so go ahead. Try Medic first. She doesn't look like she is in too deep." Hikari replied.

Gutsman pixilated onto the computer and went to Medic who was no longer making sounds of terror. He gently shook her and she woke up fast, gasping.

"Medic, you were dreaming." Gutsman said.

"Give me a minute." Medic was pale, "It was bad. Both of our worlds were nearly wasted by Megaman. I tried to stop him, but he overpowered me. I ran into hiding to recover and plan a counter attack."

"Are you okay, Medic?" Hikari winced as Iceman wailed.

"I am okay now that I'm awake." Medic shuddered, "I've never seen such a malicious look in Megaman's eyes."

"Can you try waking the others?" Hikari asked.

"I'll try." Medic went to Zero while Gutsman went to Roll. Before they could do anything, Roll, Glyde, Zero, and Iceman all woke and bolted up into sitting positions gasping. Roll was crying, and Zero was shaking. Glyde looked traumatized and Iceman was sweating. Protoman didn't wake up with them.

"Zero?" Medic asked concernedly while Roll cried in Gutsmans comforting embrace.

"Megaman killed me. I was deleting, you were screaming. No, I don't want to remember that dream." Zero whispered, "Megaman deleted me."

"I saw that too." Glyde looked over to them, "So did Iceman."

"I deleted Megaman!" Roll cried, "He told me to! It was the only way to stop the monster he had become! I had to delete the one I love!"

"I saw that too." Zero blinked slowly, "It's no coincidence. Five of us having the same dream? It can't be a coincidence."

"Protoman! His symbol! It's starting to glow! We've got to wake him up!" Maylu cried out.

"No, this is a good thing." Medic smiled, "My symbol is glowing too."

"So is mine, and Iceman's. Roll's and Zero's symbols are glowing too." Glyde pointed out, "So is Gutsmans. I'm calm. I know who is responsible for this too. It's Megaman. I feel as if he is here with us."

"Look! Protoman is calming down!" Tory cried.

"So do I. I've never felt this before." Roll relaxed, "He loves us all. This must be his love for us. Somehow he knew we needed him and he is helping us. I feel ready to take on anything."

"Even Lan looks calm and peaceful." Chaud said, "Protoman! You're waking up!"

"Odd. I feel it too. Can this really be his love?" Maylu asked.

"Chaud!" Protoman was finally awake, "I feel so calm. Normally I sweat and panic for an hour after having a nightmare like that. Is this Megaman's doing?"

"I think so." Chaud replied, "You gave me a scare."

"Kids, we've got a problem! I've detected the Cyber One's signature in the Internet, by the entrance to Undernet area one!" Hikari called out, "These readings can't be right!"

Medic pixilated over to his computer, "It's definitely X. We should go investigate."

"Are you guys up to that?" Chaud asked.

"This is more important. Since Chaud is an Official and I'm his Navi, I should go alone. This could be dangerous." Protoman was all business.

"I think not." Medic turned to him, "X can delete you with a mere thought. We should all go. It is safer in numbers."

"X can delete you with a thought too you know." Protoman pointed out.

"We are all going." Zero stopped the argument.

"Medic, shall we become Net Navi and Operator again?" Hikari asked, "We were one of the best."

"Let's do it. I have a feeling I'm going to need battle chips." Medic agreed.

"Let's go." Protoman took the lead as they entered the net, Den Area 1 to be more precise, "We have to go to Netopia Area 3 which is where the entrance to the Undernet is."

"We don't have to do much walking." Zero smiled, "Warp Zone to Yum Square, exit to Yum Area 2, take a south on the moving track, and you are in Net Area 3 by the entrance to Undernet 1."

"Smart. It'll take less time too." Protoman nodded as they entered the Warp Zone. The Warp Zone, found in Den Area 1, was an area of the Internet that contained four links to four of the five squares. There was no link to Under Square. Protoman stepped onto the red platform containing the link to Yum Square. He was then warped away. Soon, they all stood inside the still silent Yum Square.

Yum Square was silenced the day Yumland's Navi King died. Yumland's King had been in full synchro with his Navi when the Navi was deleted so they lost both of their kings. Very few Navis ventured here anymore. In fact, the silence and emptiness of Yum Square was a memorial to those who lost their lives during the dark reign of Grave. Protoman remembered fighting the Grave Virus Beast alongside Megaman. He remembered being deleted in the jaws of the Grave Virus Beast, then waking up on the ground in Net City. Chaud had told him that it was Megaman who brought him back.

"You coming sometime today?" Zero called.

"Yeah, I'm coming." Protoman replied, catching back up with the group.

"You spaced out back there." Zero was leading the way now.

"Yum Square reminds me of the Grave Virus Beast that deleted me." Protoman replied as they reached the link that would take them to Yum Area 2.

"It was where Megaman battled the Virus Beast." Roll was quiet.

"I heard it infected Megaman." Protoman replied.

"That was Basses doing. He and the Virus Beast were made from the remains of Pharaohman." Iceman replied.

That caused everybody to stop.

"Pharaohman was destroyed?" Medic asked.

"It can't be. We just saw Pharaohman, and he was quite alive." Zero added.

"Could he have been regenerated?" Protoman asked.

"I don't know. We'll have to look into this more after we handle this mission." Medic replied, stepping carefully onto the moving walkway. The trip on the moving walkway wasn't uneventful. Zero, Iceman, and Gutsman missed the step off the first time around and had to work their way back up to the moving walkway again. They all made it the second time. Protoman took the lead again. They entered Net Area 3 and reached the opening to the Undernet.

X stood with his back to them, walking forward with a rather jerky motion. He waved a hand and the area around them changed to that of a graveyard. Several Dominard2s cropped up and attacked X, but they were deleted before they could get close enough to bite. X managed to stop moving and turn.

"Remember the Law!" He cried out.

"A Navi must never take up arms against a Cyber Elf. It means automatic deletion for the Navi." Iceman said, "What can we do? We can't attack him since that means death for us."

"Naviruses too." Medic added.

"What if an attack landed a few feet from him and he was hit by the aftermath?" Protoman thought out loud.

"Any attack that lands near or on a Cyber Elf means death to the Navi responsible." Medic shook her head, "Wait! What if it is self defense? X, attack me!"

"Are you nuts?" X asked, "If you attack me, even in self defense, you'll be deleted!"

"Is there any way we can stop you?" Medic screamed in frustration.

"Stop Master W!" X found himself jerking toward a lonely grave. He knew whose grave it was.

"X stop this!" Protoman screamed, "Master W may control your body, but he can never bend your will!"

"I can't!" X cried out, "His will is too strong!"

The cyber elf began to glow brightly as he was forced to stand before the grave.. Protoman moved to follow. When X got to the grave, it began to glow. Roll, Gutsman, Iceman, and Glyde joined Protoman while Zero and Medic stayed back, realizing what was happening. They both screamed the word no, but by then it was already too late.

The world turned upside down. The ground became a living thing as the sky ripped itself open in a deafening scream. Pure darkness flowed from the sky and up from the opening maw of the ground. Before anyone could react, there was a blinding flash of light, then darkness…

* * *

"NO!" Megaman screamed, feeling rather then seeing the darkness forming in the Net outside. The chains the bound him burned white as anger flowed into him. Suddenly, the chains broke and Megaman rose in the throes of a violent style change. Two styles fought for control, but they settled down in a very rare double style change. Megaman stood in Hub style Bug style. His battle suit was now the color of Hub style with the white lines of Bug style through it. His eyes were flat and emotionless. Calmly, he strode over to the wall and held up his right hand. Seconds later, the wall burst open and Megaman walked out into the Undernet. He leapt into the air and if anyone in the Undernet cared to look up, they would have seen an ominous greenish purple glowing cloud rolling toward the regular Net.

* * *

**Queen Sunstar: and this concludes chapter 4. I know, it is late. My grandfather needed my help more then I thought. He is doing really well now. The next chapter will be out on the first Saturday of February. Before I forget, here is the preview!**

:Preview:

"What just happened?" Chaud asked.

"I don't know! There was an explosion! I'm not getting Iceman here!" Tory screamed.

"Medic! Zero! Come in, Medic! Zero! Can ether of you hear me?" Hikari bellowed into his PET, "I'm not getting Medic or Zero!"

"I can't get Roll!" Maylu cried.

"GUTSMAN!" Dex wailed.

"Glyde, answer me!" Yai tried.

"Dr. Hikari, can you find their signals?" Chaud asked.

"Chaud…"

"Wait, I've got Protoman back! Protoman! What happened? Where are the others?" Chaud asked.

"Don't know… I-I'm damaged…" Protoman looked up at his Operator, and collapsed to the cyber ground inside the PET.

"Protoman? PROTOMAN!"

:End Preview:

**Amerella: Don't forget to review! We accept all kinds of reviews. Flames are okay as long as you explain why you are flaming the story. We love receiving criticism as long as it is constructive.**

**Queen Sunstar: 472 hits total so far. We are happy with that. We do not go by number of reviews, but by number of hits. Can't wait to hear from you!**


	5. Beginning of the End

**Queen Sunstar: I finally did it! I beat seraph X! Now it is onto Battle Network 3, white version, then Battle Network 4, Blue Moon, and finally Battle Network 5, Team Protoman. My DS Lite is in the shop for repair so I'm using my old red SP which I'm surprised still works. **

**Amerella: I found our old NES and SNES! Here is your 64! This brings back memories of back when we lived on the farm in Canada. **

**Queen Sunstar: And of me pounding your rear in Concentration, Snake Rattle and Roll, Super Mario Land, and in Barbie.**

**Amerella: Who got farther then who in Barbie, and who beat who in Concentration?**

**Queen Sunstar: I beat you in Concentration, remember? Need I remind you of the tooth you punched out of me? Also, you did get farther in Barbie. Did we ever beat that Barbie game?**

**Amerella: I can't remember. I got as far as the flying French Fry level. You always got stuck in the Mermaid level. By the way, I hear you finally beat Seraph X. **

**Queen Sunstar: That rod sure worked wonders. Also, listening for his vocal cues before his attacks helped too. Anyway, on to chapter! Enjoy!**

* * *

Freezeman felt himself awakening. it was warm where he was. Blinking, he looked out to see Scilabs repair Lab.

"You woke up."

Freezeman looked down to see Lan. His eyes were red and puffy like he'd been crying.

"Lan. What happened? How did I get here?" Freezeman asked.

"Bass brought you here. he is fine. What happened to Megaman?" Lan asked, "He wasn't?"

"I don't know. there were life viruses all over the place." Freezeman remembered, "We were overwhelmed. X is not going to like this."

"X is not himself at the moment." Lan turned to the screen where X was being jerked toward a grave. He began to glow, "The other Navis have gone to try to stop him."

Freezeman's eyes widened in shock as he realized what was about to happen, "Lan, recall them! Quick! X is being used to awaken the Dark One! Hurry! They'll be deleted!"

"What dark one?" Lan asked.

"Hurry and recall them!" Freezeman pleaded.

"Guys, recall your Navis!" Lan called, "Hurry!"

"Why?" Chaud turned toward the screen.

On screen, the area went white. faintly, Protoman's silhouette became visible and everyone heard him scream. his body seemed to be deleting. Bass cried out in horror. Chaud was frantically pounding the jack out button on his PET and screaming his Navi's name, something that was being played out by the other kids and Dr. Hikari.

"What just happened?" Chaud asked, still trying to raise Protoman.

"I don't know! There was an explosion! I'm not getting Iceman here!" Tory screamed.

"Medic! Zero! Come in, Medic! Zero! Can ether of you hear me?" Hikari bellowed into his PET, "I'm not getting Medic or Zero!"

"I can't get Roll!" Maylu cried.

"GUTSMAN!" Dex wailed.

"Glyde, answer me!" Yai tried.

"Were they… deleted?" Lan asked.

"Dr. Hikari, can you find their signals?" Chaud's voice caught.

"Chaud…"

"Wait, I've got Protoman back! Protoman! What happened? Where are the others?" Chaud asked.

"Don't know… I-I'm damaged…" Protoman looked up at his Operator, and collapsed to the cyber ground inside the PET.

"Protoman? PROTOMAN! He needs repairs!" Chaud raced over to the repair computer with Hikari behind him. he downloaded Protoman onto the computer and Hikari took over. Chaud gasped upon seeing the state of his Navi. Hikari swore under his breath.

Protoman looked horrible. both of his legs and his right arm were covered in open rezing wounds. his chest looked like it had been slashed open, and Chaud wondered if the blue data in the wound was a good thing. The left side of Protoman's head was rezing horribly, and his visor was gone. his ice blue eyes were open, but dulled and listless.

"That is not good. His core is damaged." Dr. Hikari replied, "I can't do anything to help him without Medic."

"I've got someone who can help."

"Mr. Famous! I didn't know you were here!" Dr, Hikari turned, "Get Gateman in there and hurry! Protoman is inches from deletion!"

"On It!" Famous held up his PET where a trio of arguing voices could be heard, "Kendoman, Punkman, and Gateman, will you three stop it? Gateman, I'm jacking you in." Punkman appeared on the screen scowling, "Wrong one!" Famous blushed, "Gateman, jack in!" Gateman took Punkman's place, "Gateman, you are the closest we've got to Medic. Can you do anything for him?"

"First, lets make him more comfortable by giving him an EPI. There, now lets see… we are in luck. the core damage is small, but we have to stop the data from leaking." Gateman went to work, "Chaud, if he recovers, he may not be like he used to be. It depends on what core data was lost."

"I understand." Chaud answered.

Just then, Maylu screamed. Lan ran to her.

"Roll!" Maylu screamed, crying, "Roll, don't go! Stay with me!" Lan took her PET and raced over to the computer, downloading her onto the screen. Roll was rezing horribly in places all over her body. she was unconscious. Gateman finished the repair on Protoman and turned to her.

"Famous, get her under a repair program. she'll be fine. the wounds are superficial at most." Gateman ordered, "Protoman needs Medic."

"Gutsman!" Dex suddenly screamed, "I've got a repair chip coming in!" He downloaded the chip which healed Gutsman.

"Gutsman, what happened?" Tory asked.

"Big explosion, Guts. Only survived because of X." Gutsman replied.

"Tory!" Tory's PET flickered to life.

"Iceman! Are you hurt? Do you need a recovery chip?" Tory asked.

"I'm okay. X was freed from the control the moment the Dark One erupted from both the ground and the sky." Iceman shuddered, "I doubt my beast form will work against that thing."

"The Dark One has been revived?" Gateman turned from Protoman who was looking worse, "This is bad, beyond bad."

"What do you mean, Gateman?" Lan turned to him.

Zero pixilated in with Medic in his arms. Glyde was with him.

"We both are okay, but Medic has been hurt." Glyde said, "Oh god, Protoman and Roll!"

"I'll be okay. Just get me into a basic repair program." Medic replied, "I got caught by falling debris." She looked over to see Protoman and Roll, "On second thought, I can wait a bit. Protoman needs me more." Zero set her down and helped her over to Protoman's side.

"Give her a recovery chip." Zero told Hikari, who was already sending the chip to Medic. She sighed in relief.

"That will hold until after I get Protoman out of danger. Roll will be fine. Her wounds are all superficial." Medic went to work with her healing touch, "Man he is hurt bad. Oh crap. His core is damaged. Good work, Gateman, on stopping the first leak."

"Can you save him?" Chaud asked.

"Don't worry. I'll have him patched up in no time!" Medic smiled, clicking off her bracelets and anklets, "Zero, shut it off. I need all of it."

"But Medic! You can't be serious! That'll only shift the damage to you!" Zero cried out.

"It has to be done if Protoman is to live." Medic turned to him, "My self restore ability will keep me out of danger."

"Medic! You can't! Please, you can't!" Zero pleaded.

Medic reached over and clicked the belt off, "Zero, if I don't do this, Protoman will not survive. He must live." Medic closed her eyes and began to glow brightly. Her light traveled over Protoman, healing, restoring, and then it traveled to Roll where it did the same thing. Medic gasped sharply, feeling the damage the two Navis had sustained traveling over to her. The light died as Medic slumped backward into Zero's arms, her body showing the damage Protoman and Roll sustained. She smiled softly at Zero, "It is done." Slowly, her body began to heal. Zero took her to a repair program which went to work after he turned on his belt and clicked Medic's limiters into place. The program suddenly stopped working. Zero swore under his breath.

"The program isn't working because it is not compatible with her self restore ability. Hold on." Hikari typed in a few commands and two dark green rings appeared around Medic, "There we go. She'll be fine in a few hours. Zero, stay with her."

Roll was the first to open her eyes. She was healed, but she still hurt from her injuries. She shuddered as she remembered the explosion, the debris flying toward her, Protoman appearing in front of her with his shield up, his scream of agony as the debris cut through his shield to slice into his chest, and the rain of darkness pelting them both.

"Roll! How do you feel?" Maylu asked.

"I'm sore, but I'm okay. Medic! Protoman!" She rose to her feet and stumbled, "Ow! Are they okay?" she sank back to the cyber ground, "If I'm healed, why do I hurt so bad?"

"Protoman and Medic will be fine. Medic healed the injury but she can not take away the pain." Hikari explained, "I can give you a low dose EPI to make you more comfortable."

"Please do." Roll sighed in relief as her pain level dropped, "Thanks."

At that moment, the sirens let lose with a thunderous scream that actually rattled the windows. Hikari ran to a computer and nearly swore. Gateman pixilated over to the computer next.

"Oh god this is bad." He replied.

"Bad?" Bass joined him, "Bad? We're doomed! There is no way to beat the Dark One!"

"Wait, there are three parts that make up the Dark One. One is the dark power from the land and the second part is the dark power from the sky. The third part is a Navi of great power, someone like Megaman, or even you, Bass." Gateman replied.

"No, not me. Megaman." Bass sighed, "Megaman is far stronger then I am. I knew this day was coming. We lost. The world is going to be destroyed."

"We have to tell them." Gateman closed his eyes.

"I'll do it." Bass turned to face the Lab, "The Dark One is coming. Already, two of the parts that make up the Dark One have found each other and are searching for their final part. That final part is Megaman. Willy wanted Megaman all along because he was preparing for this day. How he figured out that Megaman is the third piece we'll never know. He plans to bring the pieces together and recreate the Dark One himself. He thinks he can control absolute darkness. He tried this once before, thinking Absolute Zero was the piece he needed."

"Absolute Zero was one of my two armors back from my days as a Reploid. I turned evil and caused a lot of problems until I was finally stopped by Medic." Zero responded darkly, "If she had not come, X would have had to kill me to stop me."

"What did Medic do?" Tory asked.

"Medic threatened to chop off my hair!" Zero answered, "Nobody cuts my long beautiful locks and gets away with it."

"So if Megaman comes across this darkness, he'll become the Dark One, right?" Lan asked, "We have to find him and make sure he is safe."

"We can't. The darkness will always search for him." Bass replied, "I might be able to keep it occupied for a while using Hub Style, but only Megaman can truly stop the darkness." Bass closed his eyes and activated Hub Style. His body color remained black except for the space surrounding his blue star on his helmet, his cuffs, and a stripe rolled up his legs. They turned into the familiar green of Hub Style and his purple eyes turned vacant and firm. He had gained Hub Style from Megaman using his get ability. Iceman suddenly screamed.

"The darkness!" the small ice Navi cried, "It's moving!"

"Strange, I feel it too." Glyde replied.

It was quickly apparent that each of the Navis could feel the darkness moving. Protoman woke up screaming, and it took all of Chauds skill to calm him down.

"I feel Megaman's Ultimate Program! It's resonating! It hurts!" the swordsnavi cried out, curling into a ball.

"Can you pinpoint the location of the program?" Lan asked.

"I can't!" Protoman closed his eyes, "I can't!"

"Déjà vu." Gutsman said, "Megaman did the same thing with Protoman."

* * *

Net City gleamed in the noonday sun. Silver buildings and spires rose to meet an azure sky. Walkways floated high above the streets while tunnels cut through the underground. Many Navis could be seen walking upon the walkways and down on the streets. Vendors called out their wares in hopes of a sale. The stadium was nearly full as a pair of Navis fought each other in a mock net battle. In Cyber Park, couples sat together as they listened to the speakers placed around the park play a popular love song called _Silverbelle_ done by Protoman. It was peaceful and calm.

Numberman was in his chip shop trying to close a very important deal with a pair of IPC Navis. Both Navis looked like they were wearing suits and looked very important.

"Greetings, gentlemen." Numberman pulled out the chips and data they wanted, "Asking price for everything is 40,000 Zennys."

"Our price is 35,000 Zennys." The Navi on the left replied, "We can go up to 37,500 Zennys."

"38,000 Zennys. No lower." Numberman said.

"Deal." The two Navis went to pay for their purchase as Numberman rang it up. He happened to look up to see the cyber tree he'd planted outside the shop suddenly sway as if in a massive gust of wind. He wouldn't have given it a second thought if he had not seen several Navis run by, clearly terrified of something. Seconds after the Navis passed by, the sky went dark.

"What the…" Numberman went to the door, "What is going on?" He stepped outside into the howling wind and looked up to see what looked like a battle raging between a sage green Navi and a pair of black clouds. Red lightening licked the edges of these clouds. Numberman's eye lights widened in horror as he recognized the sage green Navi in the sky. The two IPC Navis stepped outside to see what the problem was. One of them swore, earning a sharp reprimand from the other Navi.

"What is that?" the Navi who swore asked.

"That is Megaman, a friend of mine, but I don't know what he is fighting." Numberman whispered.

Just then, a bolt of red lightening slammed into a building across from them. Red light raced toward the ground and exploded, raining debris down on the ground. A walkway broke overhead. Several navis fell, two of them logging out to safety, the third a child who screamed, too young to have learned to log out. Megaman pixilated under her, catching her. He brought her down to Numberman.

"Get to safety! Hurry!" Megaman returned to the fight in the sky. Numberman, the child, and the two IPC Navis took cover in the cellar of Numberman's shop. In the sky, Megaman faced his foes.

"I know you are intelligent." Megaman replied. "You are not viruses, or Navis. You are searching for something."

"Isss it you?" the shadow on the left hissed, a bolt of lightening running over Megaman like a scanner.

"Isss it him?" the shadow on the right asked. Megaman noticed that the lightening on this shadow looked different, more orange.

A sharp pain pierced Megaman's chest. He hissed sharply through it.

"Here that, Orange? Our third part callsss from inssside thisss one's body."

"I hear it, Red. Isss it Yellow?" Orange asked.

A buster shot tore through Red, who screamed in rage as it reformed itself. Orange pulsed, striking Megaman in the chest, and leaving behind a painful burn. Megaman scowled at his foes. Again he attacked, and again, the shadows merely reformed. This was getting old. Megaman felt another sharp pain in his chest and made a decision. He put his right hand on his Navi mark and it began to glow very bright. the two shadows screamed.

Horrible pain flooded his body as the darkness in him twisted and lurched as it was bombarded by the light. Megaman clenched his teeth. he would not let the darkness win. His Navi mark, a pair of red trapezoids separated by a black line connecting two black triangles, began to crack under the extreme pressure.

* * *

In Scilabs, Protoman's screams rent the air followed closely by those of Bass and Iceman. Like Megaman's mark, Iceman's cyan snowflake on a pale blue background colored mark, Bass's solid black mark, and Protoman's black and white mark all began to show signs of stress fractures.

"What is happening?" Roll screamed, her cry cut off by Protoman's howl of agony.

"Protoman! Calm down! Please! I want to help you but I can't until you tell me what is wrong!" Chaud cried uselessly at his suffering Navi.

"It's their Ultimate Programs!" Lan screamed, "Something is happening to Megaman!"

"Iceman doesn't have an Ultimate Program!" Tory screamed.

"What do you… think I use… to run Waterworks?.. My good looks?" Iceman gasped through the pain, "I use my… Ultimate Program to… regulate the flow… of water! If… anything happens to… me, Dentech City… will have no… water!"

"Megaman…" Bass hissed through clenched teeth, "Stop it! you can't absorb total darkness!"

"Bass? you know what Megaman is doing?" Yai asked.

"It's like I'm being torn apart!" Bass screamed.

* * *

Megaman dropped to his knees and let lose with a terrible scream as the darkness flowed into him. The light died as Megaman crumbled to the ground. He was instantly surrounded by many Navis.

"What happened?" a green standard model Navi asked.

"I don't know! Somebody call Scilabs!" a pink and red standard Navi cried.

Searchman walked around the corner, a shopping bag under an arm. he had been running errands all morning. He saw the crowd of Navis and sighed, thinking it was a fight they were watching. he walked over to the crowd.

"What is going on?" he asked.

"I don't know! A Navi just collapsed!" a Navi answered.

"Who?" Searchman asked.

"It's Megaman!" Someone cried out.

Searchman worked his way through the crowd and knelt next to Megaman where another Navi knelt, eyes unfocused as it ran a scan. Searchman recognized the Navi as Electman.

"It's no good." Electman looked up, "What ever happened left him damaged, but not bad enough to knock him out."

"His mark is cracked." Searchman pressed his ear up against the mark, "His core is beating fast while his breathing is a little irregular."

At that moment, Numberman appeared. He gasped upon seeing Megaman.

"Megaman was fighting these weird clouds. one looked like it were ringed in red lightening while the other had orange lightening." He recalled, "Is he going to be okay?"

"Oh my god." Searchman stared up at Numberman, "The darkness was freed?"

"What darkness?" Numberman looked confused.

"Never mind." Searchman carefully picked up Megaman, "I am going to take him to Scilabs. I am an Official."

"No, don't!" Electman cried out, "If they escape, Scilabs is the worst place they could be!"

"You're right. Where can we take him then?" Searchman asked.

"I know of a place. It is the old WWW cyberworld. He'll be contained there. I have the last link to the WWW cyberworld. I'll destroy it after you get back from there." Electman placed the shimmering light that was the link down for Searchman who stepped into it. he returned minutes later alone. A Thunderball2 chip rendered the link permanently down. Searchman turned toward Scilabs while Electman walked in the opposite direction. He slipped into an alley and contacted Willy.

"I did my part. Megaman is within the WWW Cyberworld, and he has absorbed the darkness you released. Where are my operators, Count Zap, and Countess Ann?" Electman hissed.

"You want to see them?" Willy grinned, "You shall see them!"

A picture dropped down next to the screen Willy was on. It showed Zap and his wife, Ann, sitting in chairs with their hands tied together. They were on a pedestal in a green stone room. Greenish sludge began to flow from several pipes below the pedestal.

"Where are they, Willy?" Electman asked.

"Don't worry. They've got six hours yet. You'll find them." Willy laughed.

"Willy! I did what you told me to do! Where are they?" Electman screamed.

Willy's screen vanished as he laughed. Electman swore loudly. He knew he couldn't find his operators on his own. Reluctantly, he turned toward Scilabs. Hopefully, he'd find help there.

* * *

"And left him there." Searchman finished his tale.

"But why? You should have brought him here!" Lan screamed.

"You did the right thing." Dr. Hikari said.

"What? How was that the right thing?" Lan protested.

"Lan, get used to it. Megaman is gone. The darkness is going to consume him. When he awakens, he won't be Hub anymore. In the WWW cyberworld, he is contained. He won't be able to destroy the net this way." Bass explained gently, "I wish there was something more we could do, but there isn't."

"Why do you care so much? You always want to take his ultimate program or delete him!" Lan screamed at the black and gold Navi.

"Do you think I had a choice?" Bass asked, "I had to keep up a reputation! I also had to keep a major secret! Do you think I wanted to hurt Megaman? Cyber Elf X knew this day was coming for a long time."

"You keep saying that! I want Megaman back!" Lan sobbed, "Do you even know how I feel? I feel helpless! This is like watching Hub die all over again! I'm losing my twin all over again!"

"Lan, you should be mad at me. I couldn't let Hub go. I shouldn't have tried to recreate Hub as a Navi. It hurts you. I see it every day in yours and her eyes. I am a fool, Lan. I hurt my own family just so I would be able to have both of my sons, and in the process, I've lost them both." Dr. Hikari turned from them.

"You should be feeling bad! I hate you!" Lan screamed, turning and running off. He burst outside and ran. He wanted to get as far as he could from Scilabs, from his father, from everything. He darted across the street, heard the squeal of brakes, felt himself flying forward, the crunch of metal and bone, then came darkness.

* * *

A phone rang. Famous burst into the lab.

"I just got a call from the Seaside hospital! Lan was hit twice by a car!" He screamed.

"Is he okay?" Dr. Hikari paled.

"He's got broken ribs and a broken wrist. That is all they are telling me! I've called Haruka, and she is on her way there. You go. I'll stay here and deal." Famous replied.

"I'm going to." Maylu grabbed her coat and followed Dr. Hikari down to the metro. The ride felt like it was taking forever. They dashed out of the metro and raced to the hospital. Along the way, Hikari kept saying this was his fault. Haruka was in the waiting room when they arrived.

"How is he?" Hikari asked.

"I don't know." Haruka's hands were shaking, "Lan is in surgery. Something about one of his ribs cutting into his right lung. What happened?"

"This is my fault. I told him I should never have created Megaman from Hub." Hikari looked away.

"But Megaman is your greatest achievement!" Haruka joined her husband, "I was so happy to see Hub again. Losing Hub hurt me so much. To see him again as a Navi helped me cope with losing him. My favorite memory is washing dishes with Megaman on the computer screen next to me. We would talk as I worked. I know he enjoyed those times too. The day he told me he was Hub was one of the best days of my life. I had Hub back. Hub used to help me wash dishes after dinner and we would talk. Megaman is more then just a customized Navi. He is our son and our guardian against virus attack. How many times have I come running when I get a call from you or Lan about Megaman being hurt or sick at Scilabs? I sat next to his capsule during the NRP epidemic and I didn't leave him once. I was there with him when he was badly damaged during Proto's rampage. Don't say that about Megaman after what he has done for humanity."

"My son hates me." Hikari moaned, "I'm a failure!"

"You stop it! Lan loves you! Megaman was the best thing you gave him!" Haruka replied firmly.

A while later, a doctor finally came out to see them.

"It is not as bad as we thought. Lan has a broken wrist and fractured ribs. One of those ribs struck his left lung, but it did not go through. We are playing it safe for tonight by putting him on a ventilator so his lung can heal. He should make a full recovery in time. He is quite lucky for being hit by a car twice. He is in room 2 on the second floor. We have a nurse Navi watching over him just to be safe." the doctor was smiling, "I expected it to be a lot worse then it was."

The Hikaris and Maylu went up to the second floor to Lan's room. They would stay there all night.

* * *

Chaud sat and watched as Protoman slept in the embrace of a heavy EPI sedation. He knew that his Navi would sleep for the night and probably all day tomorrow. Medic was already awake and doing her rounds. She had contacted Hikari for an update on Lan's condition. Lan was awake and off the ventilator by 10:00 in the evening. He had refused to see his dad at first but had finally relented. Raika had called searching for Searchman who had explained what had happened. Raika and Princess Pride were both on their way down to Dentech City. Knightman had arrived via the net and was quickly filled in on what had happened. He vowed to help fix this mess before leaving for the hospital Cyberworld with Searchman and Zero.

"Why are we sitting here?" Glyde asked, "Shouldn't we be out there doing something?"

At that exact moment, Electman arrived. Bass immediately pounced on him, snarling. Electman found himself staring down a dark arm blade.

"Why are you here?" Bass growled.

"I came here for help!" Electman screamed.

"Lies!" the blade cut closer to Electman's neck, "I should delete you here and now!"

"Bass, stand down!" Glyde intervened, "You can kill him after he tells us why he is here. Electman, why are you here?"

"I came here for help. Willy kidnapped my operators, Count Zap and Countess Ann, and is holding them hostage somewhere. He told me to get Megaman and trap him in the WWW cyberworld which I did. He did not let them go." Electman explained.

Basses eyes widened in horror as he heard Electman's tale. He went pale.

"Willy has access to the WWW cyberworld still? Megaman absorbed the darkness from the sky and the land into himself!" Bass forced himself to swallow.

"And I practically gave him to Willy. I'm a fool!" Electman punched a cyber wall in frustration, "Willy used me as a means to an end! The whole cyberworld is doomed! So is the human world!"

At that moment, there was an ominous rumble…

* * *

Megaman's eyes flew open as a dreadful searing pain shot through him. The three darknesses met for the first time in ages within his body. The pain spread to his core and Megaman let loose with an animalistic shriek as his body arched with the pain. Willy watched the stricken Navi suffer with detached amusement. It wouldn't be much longer now. Soon, the cyberworld would fall and with it, the Ethernet.

"No more… please, no more!" Megaman dissolved into massive convulsions as his eyes rolled to the back of his head. Blackness spread over him. He suddenly let loose with a primal scream, his body contorting under the extreme pain. Then it was quiet. Megaman rose to his feet. His eyes were solid black and three sets of black demonic wings stretched themselves open. His helmet sported a pair of black wings that swept up the sides of the helmet. His hands flexed into claws. His body suit stayed blue, but his cyan stripe turned blood red and his golden shoulder pads turned black. Megaman smiled ferally, revealing sharp fangs. With a demonic scream, he launched himself into the sky, and appeared behind Willy.

"Dark One." Willy greeted, "I am your master, Willy. You will do as I say and that is to destroy the Cyberworld! Go now, my Dark One, and begin Cybergeddon! Ah hahaha!"

"And what makes you think I'll submit to you, a mere human?" Megaman asked.

"You will submit to me because I made it possible for you to be born!" Willy snapped.

To his surprise, Megaman began to laugh. It was a cold bitter sound.

"Foolish human. You think you can control me!" Megaman lifted his arms and darkness tumbled forth, filling the room. When it faded, Willy and Megaman were both gone.

* * *

Higsby suddenly looked up. He felt oddly calm. Deep inside, he knew what it met. It was time to give Lan the white chip.

* * *

**Amerella: and that will conclude chapter five. This is not good. Can anyone stop Megaman?**

**Queen Sunstar: Prepare for some Raika/Pride next chapter, and we will see Protoman finally come out of his EPI coma. EPI stands for Epiderine, a pain killing compound developed for use on Navi kind. NRP stands for Navi Rhinopneumonitis, a deadly data infection that is extremely painful and has a 90 percent kill rate. Often, you will hear us mention an NRP epidemic that wiped out 90 percent of IPCS Navis and sickened Protoman. Protoman and a few others recovered in time. Glyde came down with it as did Megaman, who suffered a rare reaction to the infection that nearly killed him. It took a long time for Megaman to get back into top form. The power plant and Waterworks were hit but not as badly as IPC was. **

**Amerella: I plan to write a one shot about the creation of Megaman. Look for that too. **

**Queen Sunstar: 679 hits! Whoo! I'm happy about that! I hope Deletion reaches the 1k mark!**

**Both: See ya!**


	6. Prelude to Battle

Bass sat next to the still sleeping Protoman and sighed. Due to the high dose of EPI Protoman had been given, it was important that he remain under close observation for signs of a reaction. Bass had opted to stay with him knowing he was the last thing Lan wanted to see. Protoman slept on, occasionally making soft noises as he dreamed. Bass couldn't help but smile.

"At least one of us is at peace." Bass looked up at the cyber ceiling, "You are lucky. You get to sleep through the end of the world. I have to face it with the others." Bass paused, "Megaman is gone now. The darkness has consumed him. I failed my mission, big time. Freezeman and I thought we had a good hiding place. This was never supposed to happen. Megaman was supposed to fight the Dark One, not become the Dark One. How do I even fight a friend? This sucks."

Medic came over and ran a few scans. Her eyes unfocused for a minute as she sent the scans to the computer where the waiting Progs would take the scans to Hikari. She nodded to herself.

"Well?" Bass found himself curious.

"Everything looks great. Protoman is tolerating the EPI really well. It is starting to leave his system normally. I'm going to pay a visit to Hikari and see how Lan is doing. Protoman probably won't wake up any time soon, but just in case he does wake up, give him a shot of this." She handed Bass a syringe, "It'll help sooth the after effects of the EPI."

"Any thing I should watch for?" Bass asked.

"Send me an alert if Protoman wakes up or starts having an reaction. The signs you'll need to watch for are vomiting, the shakes, disorientation, confusion, and weakness." Medic explained, "If you see any of those symptoms, contact me immediately."

She pixilated out. Bass watched Protoman sleep. Pretty soon, he was bored out of his mind. He got up and paced, but pacing made his boredom worse.

"Is this what Medic does? How does she cope?" Bass muttered to himself, "How does she keep from going crazy?"

A soft blue glow lit up behind him and he turned. The glow formed into a humanoid shape and took form. As he materialized fully, Cyber Elf X smiled despite being damaged. Bass went to his side.

"Cyber One! I'm sorry, I failed you! Willy's won!" Bass reported everything.

X only smiled, "Or has Willy won?"

"What do you mean? Megaman has been consumed by the darkness!" Bass pointed out.

"Let's sit down, Bass." a pair of cyber chairs materialized and they sat in them, "Have you ever heard of the Light Soul?"

"Light Soul?" Bass asked, confused.

"Megaman has the ability to perform soul unions. The Light Soul is a soul born of pure light created to stop the Dark Soul. It alone can save Megaman, or destroy him." Cyber Elf X smiled at him, "The Light Soul is a piece of my own soul."

"You mean you are going to try to initialize a Soul Union with Megaman? That's too dangerous! It could kill you! If you die, so does the Internet!" Bass cried out.

"I know the danger. That is why I created the chip. There are things you must remember." X replied, "Do you remember your creator?"

"Sure. It's Dr. Cossack." Bass replied at once.

"You were Cossack's Navi, a gift from a Light. Bass, Tadashi Hikari, great, great grandson of Dr. Thomas Light, is your creator. You were his final project before retirement. You don't remember this. Medic owes her creation to you. You brought Zero to Scilabs when he was badly wounded and helped nurse him back to health. It was you who guided Medic and Zero to the safe place with Megaman's developing file." X raised a glowing hand and rested it on Basses forehead. Bass gasped.

He saw himself waking up to see a smiling man with white hair and a beard. A lanky teen stood next to him, also smiling. Then he was waking up again to see Cossack.

Next he saw himself in a very primitive net. He was running toward a link, fear pushing him faster. He got through the link at last and ran to Hikari with his bundle of data. He watched as Hikari ran a scan over the data and pull what he needed from it. He then turned to a tube that held more data. With the addition of the new data, the data began to form into a familiar form. Bass gasped, recognizing Medic. He watched as time sped forward to where Medic stepped out of the tube and began to explore the place were she was created. Bass saw himself showing her around. He had seen her mark and the first word that popped into his head was Medic. Well, that explained Medic's name.

Again, Bass found himself inside the net. Someone was dragging himself toward him. He recognized Zero. Bass ran to Zero's side and half carried, half dragged the horribly wounded Navi to Scilabs. He called for help. Medic ran to join him. She began to heal some of the damage as Bass brought him to the waiting repair rings.

Bass found himself watching a grieving Dr. Hikari as he stared at a picture of a seven year old boy with black hair and bright green eyes. Bass knew that this was one of his sons, Hub Hikari. He knew that Hub had been sick with HBD. Medic, now wearing three sets of limiters and a limitation belt, was on Hikari's computer screen, grieving with him. Bass found that he felt hollow inside. He realized he was seeing the day Hub died. Time flew forward again.

He was standing before a tube where data swirled. Medic added some of Hub's DNA to the tube. It began to form into a humanlike shape. A group of black Navis showed up and Bass began to fight them. One of them got close to the tube and added a drop of a black liquid like substance to the tube before deleting in a saber slash. Zero. Two more deleted with white tentacles running through them. Medic. Bass sent two more packing as Zero sent the last one packing. They crowded around the tube as cruel laughter rang out. In the tube, a small childlike Navi was forming. Medic nodded as Hikari told her to take it and hide. She reach in and absorbed the data into herself. Then they were running. Bass led them deep into Proto where they would be safe. He blinked.

"You unlocked my memories? Why were they blocked?" Bass asked.

"I blocked them so you wouldn't remember. I needed you to taste true darkness. You did well." X explained.

"I heard that the kids and their Navis ended up in the Ethernet." Bass changed the subject, sensing the Cyber Elf's pain. He knew deep down that X had to do what he did to prepare him for this day.

"It wasn't my doing." X suddenly lurched forward, his hands on his chest. Bass watched in horror as the damage on the Cyber Elf spread a little more. X breathed sharply through his teeth as he waited for the pain to let up. The pain only got worse.

"X? what's wrong?" Bass asked worriedly, sending a mental message to a Prog to go get Medic.

"It's not me! it's the Internet! It is coming apart! I don't know why it is decoding!" X was pale now, all color gone from his face. Medic appeared and ran to them. She quickly got X laying down on his back and told him to breathe.

"What is happening to him?" Bass asked.

"I'm not sure. If he were human, I'd say he was having a heart attack. Famous is on his way. Zero and Searchman are helping to put down a Metfire invasion at the hospital cyberworld. Knightman is staying with Lan. Why don't you go visit Lan?" Medic asked.

"What about Protoman?" Bass asked.

"He is doing fine. I'm here and I'll have a Prog stay close by him. Aw, look at that." Medic smiled, "He is in good hands, I mean, paws."

Rush was curled up asleep with Protoman's left arm around him. The dog virus opened his eyes and looked up with a sleepy yawn. He then settled back down to sleep with his head resting on Protoman's chest. Bass found himself smiling.

"And he says he hates dogs. I'm sorry, but I have to get a picture." Bass grinned, as he pulled out a camera program and snapped a few pictures, "Okay, I'm gone." he quickly copied the pictures to a file that he took with him.

* * *

"I wish we could cheer up Lan." Maylu turned to Chaud.

"Me too. He needs Megaman. We're stuck. Protoman is in a EPI induced coma, and Roll is still recovering. So is Glyde, Medic, Iceman, and Gutsman. That leaves Zero, and Zero will not leave Medic's side." Chaud answered, "This sucks."

"Roll would go in a heartbeat." Maylu stared down at her PET where Roll was sleeping.

"Don't wake her. It has been an exhausting few days." Chaud sighed, his own red PET dark. He missed Protoman. At that moment, Higsby came into the waiting area.

"How is Lan?" he asked.

"Lan was hit twice by a car and he is doing fine. He is in room 2." Chaud said.

"Numberman told me about what happened to your Navis. It must have been pretty bad. I was given a gift from the Cyber One to give to Lan." Higsby replied.

"And I've got something that will perk him up." Bass spoke up from Chaud's PET.

"Bass. How is Protoman?" Chaud asked.

"Asleep with Rush." Bass smiled and held up the picture.

"Awe, that is so cute! Who knew Rush cared?" Maylu asked.

"Never let Protoman see this. He'll never let us live it down." Chaud was smiling, "They do look cute, sleeping side by side like that."

"Well, shall we go see Lan?" Bass asked.

"Let's go." Chaud took the lead. They walked over to Lan's room. Inside, they could hear Lan begging to be released from the hospital.

"I'm fine! Why can't I leave yet? Broken bones heal!" Lan was saying to a doctor as they came in.

"Your broken bones will heal up fine, but we are keeping you here to make sure your lung heals. You'll get to go home Saturday." the doctor answered.

"But it's Tuesday! That's like, forever! I have a Navi to save! I can't stay that long!" Lan complained.

"Your lung was hurt when your rib hit it. It has got to heal first. Your Navi will have to wait." the Doctor replied, leaving.

"How can I save Megaman if I'm stuck in here? My lung is fine. I'm breathing fine!" Lan turned to his parents.

"Lan, good to see you feeling better." Chaud smiled, "Next time, look both ways before crossing the street."

Bass joined Searchman and Knightman in the hospital Cyberworld. Knightman raised his spiked ball threateningly as he glared at Bass.

"Easy, Knightman. Bass is on our side." Searchman calmed the big knight type Navi, "Bass, why are you here?"

"I came to see Lan." Bass walked over to the link to Lan's room and went in. He appeared on a computer screen next to Lan's bed, "Lan?"

Lan turned, "Haven't you done enough damage?"

"Please, hear me out. I said things I never should have said. I'm sorry. What do you say to me being your Navi? This is only until we get Megaman back. I want to help you. What happened is partly my fault. I failed to keep Megaman safe. Even worse, I failed the Cyber One." Bass looked up at Lan, "If you are willing to accept me as your Navi, I am willing to accept you as my Netop."

"Did you think that all you have to do is waltz in here and apologize? Sorry, but Megaman is my Navi." Lan looked away.

"You are stuck in here until Saturday. You can't do much yourself, but with me, you could do a lot more." Bass pointed out, "I am coming to you of my own free will, not because I feel guilty. I want to help you."

"Don't you hate humans? Last I heard, you wanted to destroy every last one of us." Lan stared at Bass unbelievably.

"That is in the past. I learned a lot about myself today. I'm not who I thought I was." Bass replied, "When what happened at Scilabs happened, I felt betrayed. Cossack, my Netop, promised to always be there for me. One day, I was out testing a new antivirus program when I was surrounded by security Navis who attacked me. I was forced to defend myself. I kept calling and calling for Cossack, but he never came. I was hurt pretty bad in the fight, and I snapped. I went on a rampage that left behind a trail of destruction. I hid in the Undernet while my injuries healed. I was angry that Cossack abandoned me when I needed him the most. I decided that all humans were bad and made plans to rid the world of them. Thing is, I didn't understand that Cossack wanted to come to my aid, but he couldn't. He had suffered a heart attack and was in the ICU of Seaside Hospital. Tadashi rushed back to Scilabs to rescue me, but he was too late. I had already left. If I had stayed another minute, I wouldn't have fallen into the darkness, nor would I have gone down the path I did. I was not made for destruction, nor was I made to serve man. I was made to protect man as he began to explore the Cyberworld which he had just created. I was to be his guide, his protector, and show him the world in which he had created for me to thrive in. I was to be his template for which he would create others to live in the world he created. I didn't understand before, but I know now. I also know that I am the key to stopping Megaman. I ask again if I may be your Navi." Bass's purple eyes gleamed with unshed tears. He'd be ruined if he turned into a blubbering wet mess in front of Lan.

"I'm sorry, Bass. I didn't know. Okay. I'll be your Netop. This is just until we get Megaman back." Lan smiled, "After that, we'll find you a Netop. How does that sound?"

"Sounds great to me. I am going to warn you by the way. I tend to get moody at times so I apologize in advance if I say things I shouldn't, or I totally ignore you for a few hours. Just give the PET a hard whack to snap me back to my senses." Bass smiled, "I also have a copy bot I sometimes use. It is an old model so I sometimes look like a TV screen going on the frizz."

"I told you I was going to update it one of these days." Hikari blushed, "I'll get right on it as soon as I find it."

"It was making that annoying humming noise so you shoved it into the locker next to yours, with me still in it." Bass reminded him, "You were lucky the locker had a jack in point."

"I did? When did that happen?" Hikari asked.

"Lan and Hub were five weeks old and Hub was sick in the hospital. You had Lan with you. You asked me to copy bot myself and help you out. Then you passed out on your computer while I was feeding Lan." Bass recalled, "I decided to let you sleep. It was also the day you learned Hub had HBD, and the day you dropped Lan, not to mention the day you succeeded in frying your computer by trying to give it coffee when it was acting slow."

Hikari turned red, "Now I remember. I was sleep deprived."

"You dropped Lan?" Haruka stared at him horrified.

"Don't worry, I caught him. I decided to keep Lan out of his hands for Lan's safety." Bass said. Lan couldn't answer since he was laughing too hard. Chaud, Higsby, and Maylu had entered the room to hear Basses story. Maylu was next to Lan, laughing with him. Chaud was doing his best not to laugh, but it came out as a strangled snort which caused more laughter. Higsby was laughing too. After calming himself down, Higsby walked over to Lan.

I was instructed to give you this. I don't know why, but I know that it will save Megaman." Higsby handed the chip to Lan, "You'll know when it is time to use it. It's a Light chip, the only one of its kind."

"What?" Hikari held up the chip, "But, Medic and I used the only known Light chip! Where did you get this, Higsby?"

"Doctor, I feel great power within the chip. It feels familiar, like, X." Zero spoke up as at that moment, the PET let out a loud ring which caused Zero to jump, "Phone! I'll get it! It's Famous! X is going downhill really fast! We're needed! If X dies, we lose the internet!"

"That is bad, really bad." Knightman rumbled.

"I'm gone!" Hikari rushed out of the room with his PET.

* * *

"W-where are you taking me, Dark One?" Willy's voice shook from fear.

"Oh to a special place." came the unfeeling reply, "You want a dark world, so I'm taking you to a place." Megaman dipped down toward the Undernet and glided into it. He kept going.

Even though he was terrified, Willy couldn't help but be amazed at the feral beauty that was the Undernet. Black pathways threaded into darkness. The bottom level pathways were laced with what looked like purple crystal. The pathway above it was black with dark blue crystal. Then came indigo, green, yellow, orange, and red. This was the main hub of the Undernet. Here, top worlders, the name the Undernet gave to those of the Internet, mingled with the under worlders, trading goods and supplies, meeting friends, and going about their day. A group of official Navis patrolled the area along with members of the Undernet security corps. Another small group of Navis formed a line at the entrance to Undernet area 2 where their passes were checked by an Official. Megaman shot past it all and dove deeper into the darkness below the Internet.

Willy felt it grow colder and darker the deeper they went. The darkness parted as if invisible hands had pushed it aside to reveal a tower with a pointed tip. Something dark and liquid rolled down its sides and Willy shuddered as he realized it was blood. The landscape was rocky with many rock formations jutting into the blood red sky. Seconds later, Willy realized the rocks weren't rocks, but bones. This was a vast bone yard, some of the bones were fresh enough to be leaking blood.

"What is this place?" Willy trembled.

"You know this place, Willy. You helped to create it with my grandfather." Megaman touched down near the tower, "This was once Proto. It is nothing more then a bone yard now, but soon, I'll reopen the connection to the Ethernet and Proto will be devoured by the Ethernet which will in turn devour the Human World. The world will then become one giant Cyber World in which I'll rule."

"Does that include me dying?" Willy asked.

"I need a human sacrifice to feed to the Ethernet so it'll devour the Human World. They say I'm the one who is going to stop you and I am." Megaman strode into the tower, forcing Willy along before him.

* * *

It was snowing outside. Their plane was supposed to have taken off hours ago. A blizzard had blown in and was still ragging outside. The Sharron tundra was barely visible through the rapidly falling snow outside the big bay windows. Inside the airport waiting area, plush green couches lined the walls. A large brick fireplace dominated the far wall. Standing near the fireplace was a pale haired man wearing a Sharron military uniform. His pale blue gaze swept the room before resting on a blond blue eyed woman wearing tan slacks and a white shirt that hinted at hidden curves. Brown heeled boots and a brown cap completed her look. This was Corporeal Rakia and Princess Pride. Pride put a delicately shaped gloved hand Rakia's hand. He found himself smiling down at her. Pride shivered.

"Here, take my coat." Rakia slipped his green overcoat off and draped it over Prides shoulders.

"Thanks, but won't you get cold?" Pride asked.

"I'll be fine. This is nothing." Rakia smiled, "I've actually worn shorts in this weather."

"Really?" Pride asked, "I'd have loved to see that."

"Of course, my uncle chewed me out for it." Rakia laughed.

"Now boarding, private flight 9 to Electopia!" The loud speaker crackled to life.

"That is us." Pride stood and picked up her bag.

Outside, the snow had stopped falling, but the gusting wind made it seem like it was still snowing. The dark green plane with a red trim loomed out of the whiteness. They boarded. Rakia pulled out a bundle of red yarn and a crochet hook. He began to crochet. Pride pulled out her knitting.

"I didn't know you knew how to crochet." Pride said.

"My aunt taught me how. I find it relaxing. Even Searchman likes to crochet. You don't find that odd, do you?" Rakia blushed.

"Actually, I find it cute." Pride snuggled into his side, "What else do you do that I don't know about?" She smiled coyly.

"Well, I can sew, cook, net battle, fly military grade jets, and I can fence." Rakia replied, "Your turn."

The plane taxied down the icy runaway and entered the sky.

"I'm a skilled Net battler, I cross stitch, do embroidery, fence, sew, and knit." Pride looked up at his eyes. He leaned toward her as she leaned up. Their lips met in a passionate kiss. Her hands moved over his chest, feeling the muscles contract at her touch. Suddenly, the plane shook violently, ending the moment.

"We're under attack!" the pilot cried out, "the system isn't responding to my commands!"

Pride and Rakia rushed to the cockpit where the pilot sat staring at the flashing error on his screens.

"Searchman and Knightman aren't here! We're done for!" Pride cried out.

The screens changed. What they saw made their blood run cold. First, there was a black tower thrusting up at a blood red sky. Something dark and liquid rolled down the tower. Rakia shuddered, recognizing the substance as blood. Huge monoliths of bone covered the gruesome landscape. Something dark floated around the tower on three pairs of wings.

"Who is that?" Pride looked shaken.

"Who am I? You know me." a very familiar voice entered the plane, "Why, I've saved the world six times."

The pilots eyes went so wide that Rakia considered it a miracle that they didn't just pop out all together. He knew that his eyes were probably close to being as wide. His mind scrambled to come up with a solution other then the one staring at his face. It couldn't be. It just couldn't be true. The scene changed, giving him his answer.

"Megaman! It's Megaman!" Pride screamed.

"I was Megaman. I am the Dark One now. I am the last thing you'll see alive. The world will know my power as they witness your deaths." Megaman grinned.

"Megaman, what has happened to you?" Rakia asked, "You are not evil. You are our friend. Friends don't hurt friends."

"Not anymore." Megaman turned away from the screen, "the one you call Megaman is gone." He suddenly turned back to the screen, his eyes green instead of black, "Rakia! You have to delete me! It's the only way! Hurry!"

"You have a Navi, right?" Rakia turned to the pilot.

"I do. Stardust, I'm sending you in." the Pilot said.

The Navi that appeared behind Megaman on the screen was a pale pearly white with yellow boots and gloves. Her helmet was shaped like a four pointed star while her mark showed a yellow six pointed star. Her face showed a look of determination.

"I'm in. Send me five M-canons. A through E." Stardust kept her voice cool. The pilot sent the data to his Navi whose hands morphed in a burst of pixels to form the dreaded Z-cannon. She took aim and fired. Megaman spun, taking the attack in the Navi Mark, and shattering it. Within seconds a new mark glowed into place. This one showed two black trapezoids separated by two red triangles connected by a red line. Megaman looked up. His skin was now white and his eyes were back to black.

"I'm not afraid of you." Stardust replied calmly.

"You should be very afraid of me. You have killed the part of me that was still tied to the light. I am free." Megaman grinned, running his tongue along his lower lip sinuously.

"I am skilled in over 30 types of program advances, and I know several deadly combo advances that could kill you in seconds. Kiro, send me two darts, two poisons, and a dart poison, codes a, b, *, d, and e." Stardust called, "I can take him!"

"Here it comes!" the pilot, now known as Kiro, sent the data.

Stardust's arms burst in a spray of pixels to form a double armed crossbow. She took aim and braced herself for the recoil. Megaman only smiled. Stardust fired, staying on her feet, but taking a half step back for balance. Her eyes grew wide in shock as Megaman held up the arrow in his right hand.

"Oh sorry, did you mean to strike me with this arrow?" Megaman laughed evilly, "Let me help you hit your target." the arrow flashed from his hand and plowed through Stardust's shoulder. Kiro jacked her out quickly.

"He's strong!" Stardust gasped through the pain, "I'll be alright! Just send me a recovery chip! I'm sorry I couldn't stop him!"

"It's okay, Stardust." Kiro tended to his Navi.

"What can we do?" Pride asked.

"I'm thinking!" Rakia racked his brain, "Protoman might be able to hold him, but he is still in a EPI induced coma last I heard."

"What about Zero or Medic? I hear that Medic and Hikari used to be one of the strongest Net Battle teams around." Pride tried.

"Hikari doesn't net battle Medic anymore." Rakia stared at the screen, "Megaman would never do something like this, ever. In fact, back during the rampage of Alpha, Megaman sacrificed himself to save Lan by using the last of his power to eject Lan from Alpha. There was the time he protected Protoman from Pharaohman but it took his life. He has battled against things that would send a normal Navi running for its life." Rakia sighed, "I know Megaman is still there. We just have to try to reach him."

"I'm trying to reach ground control, but I haven't gotten through yet." Kiro replied.

"Send me back in. I think I can keep him busy now." Stardust spoke up.

"No, Stardust." Kiro told her, "You are injured and he'll defeat you in seconds."

"Try this frequency." Rakia said suddenly, "FM 345." He silently prayed somebody would be listening to it. It was a frequency that had been used 75 years ago during what was commonly referred to as the Cold War. Rakia knew the odds were stacked heavily against them being heard, but they still had to try.

* * *

Hikari winced as the Cyber Elf let loose with another anguished scream. X was in total agony, and there was nothing anybody could do to ease his pain. He was being damaged slowly and Hikari couldn't figure out why.

"X is tied to the Internet but he can't live in the normal net like most Net Navis." Medic turned to Hikari, "He carries the codes that make the internet possible within himself."

"Could the net be damaged?" Famous asked.

"We have to send someone to go investigate." Hikari thought.

"Kendoman, I'm sending you with Beastman and Gridman to investigate." Famous jacked his four Navis in, "Gateman, I need you here helping Medic."

"Gridman?" Hikari asked.

"Gridman is a Navi I'm fostering. His old Netop was very abusive and cruel." Famous replied, "He is quiet and very timid."

On screen, a dark blue Navi with a face mask that resembled that of a catcher in baseball, a large football player designed Navi, and a red, brown, and gold beast type Navi all materialized together. Gateman, a yellow, brown, and gold Navi with a metal gate on his chest appeared next. He joined Medic.

"We're on it, Famous." Kendoman replied, "Come along, you two. Gridman, do you want to take Electopia?"

"Okay." Gridman replied, "Hey Beastman! Bet I can finish before you can!"

"You're on! I'll take Netopia!" Beastman called out.

"That leaves Amerope, Netfrica, Creamland, Sharro, Chiona, Brightland, Yumland, Darkland, Nation Z, and Neo Arcadia. We each will cover four areas. I'll take Nation Z, Darkland, Chiona, and Neo Arcadia." Kendoman replied.

"I'll take Yumland, Creamland, Sharro, and Electopia." Gridman volunteered.

"That leaves me with Netfrica, Amerope, Brightland, and Netopia." Beastman added, "What are we looking for?"

"Look for damage to the Net." Famous told his Navis.

"Doesn't the Net get damaged a little each day? Aren't there programs that repair the damage as the Net sustains it?" Gridman asked.

"Yes, and yes, Gridman. You three are looking for damage that has been there for days. This could be a simple case of corrupted repair program." Famous smiled as the Navis took off. "Gridman has really improved." Another scream tore his attention back to X.

"I can't keep up with the damage anymore!" Medic looked up, "I'm nearly spent!"

"I have an idea." Hikari smiled.

Minutes later, Roll came in and took over for Medic which allowed the medical Navi to rest.

"I could transfer the damage to myself." Medic said.

"No you will not. Your self restore ability wouldn't be able to keep up with it." Hikari shot down the idea.

"We've got to do something!" Medic cried out.

At that moment, Kendoman returned, "Neo Arcadia! It's being devoured!"

Right behind him was Beastman, "Netfrica's gone!" and Gridman, moments later, "Sharro! Gone!"

"What do you mean?" Famous asked.

"It's starting again, Famous. The Ethernet is back and it is very hungry." Kendoman explained.

"Sever link…" X gasped sharply, "Not much time…"

"What link?" Kendoman asked, "Just tell me where to go."

"Proto… is the fuel for… the Ethernet… I feel it even now… the link is growing… Not much time…" X's eyes closed, "you must go…"

"Where? X? X!" Kendoman warped to the DA space holding X, "Hey! Wake up! Where is the link? Come on, wake up and tell me!"

Roll sat back, "I don't think he can wake up right now."

"This is just great. How can I do my job if I don't know where to go?" Kendoman asked, "This sucks!"

"Isn't X from Neo Arcadia?" Gridman asked, "Wouldn't the link be there?"

"Unfortunately, Gridman forgets one important detail. Neo Arcadia is gone. Remember?" Beastman growled, "So is Sharro, and Netfrica."

"What if the link is in the Ethernet?" Medic asked.

"Megaman! He's gone!" Protoman bolted into a sitting position, gasping, "I can't feel him anymore!"

At that exact moment in the hospital…

"Megaman's gone!" Bass cried out, "I can't feel his ultimate program anymore!"

And at Waterworks…

"Megaman! He's gone! Oh he's gone!" Iceman wailed, "I can't feel his program anymore! He's gone!"

Back at Scilabs…

"Was he deleted?" Hikari asked, looking sick.

"I feel Iceman and Bass, but I can't feel Megaman! All I know is that he is gone!" Protoman choked out, his voice thick, "I'm useless! I promised to always protect him, and I failed! Some Official I am! How can I protect the ones I care about if I couldn't protect Megaman?"

"You were in a coma. There was nothing you could have done. It is not your fault. Calm down." Famous quietly sent Gridman to go get Chaud.

"I failed Megaman! I was supposed to prevent something like this from happening! I promised!" Protoman wailed, "I promised to protect him and I failed!"

"Is that what you think?" Chaud asked, running into the room, "Is that how an Official must think? We'll get him back like we did before! Remember?"

Protoman nodded, "I still feel terrible, and it is not from the EPI. I remember, but I don't want to remember…"

Megaman had become corrupted by the darkness at the hand of Nebula. He had been at End Area 3, holding it for Nebula. Protoman had felt guilty for the loss of Megaman so he had gone and stayed with Lan for a few days as his Navi. It was a time he had cherished despite the fact Megaman was lost. He remembered fighting Megaman in End Area 3, trying to reach him. He had fallen back to allow Magnetman to take over. Magnetman had egged Megaman on, knowing that the real Megaman could never resist a challenge from him. Gyroman had stepped up next and continued Magnetman's tactic. Last up was Napalmman, who had finally got through to Megaman, but it had been short lived. Protoman knew what was coming next, and wished he wouldn't remember. The memory continued with himself standing before Megaman, sword pointed at the dark Navis mark. Megaman fought through and threw himself upon Protoman's sword, damaging himself severely and defeating the darkness in himself. He had slipped into a coma from the injuries he sustained and remained unconscious for almost three weeks. It had been a rough time for all of them.

Zero, who had been on patrol, came in with an odd look on his face. He pixilated to a communications computer and brought up a frequency he knew well. They were all shocked to hear the voice of a pilot calmly explaining that they were going to crash and that he had Princess Pride and Corporal Rakia on board.

"I read you. This is Scilabs, Zero, Net Navi of Dr. Yuchiro Hikari, speaking. Can you explain your situation?" Zero listened, "the plane is under the control of the Dark One? Megaman? Help is coming. Medic, you and I need to go stop our son." Zero turned to Medic, "It is up to us to handle this."

"I'm ready." Medic replied.

"Do you know where Megaman is?" Zero asked the pilot, "Can you describe it?" he paled, "Sit tight. I'll have you down safely in no time. Megaman is in Proto. Medic, let's go." the two pixilated out.

"If anyone can stop Megaman, it will be them." Hikari whispered, "His Navi parents."

* * *

**Queen Sunstar: I know, it is late. Illness, virus problem on the Laptop, and life kept me from working on this chapter. I was sick with Strep Pneumonia. I went to bed feeling under the weather one night weeks ago and woke up three days later in the ICU. According to my next door neighbor who is an EMT, my cat, Licorice, went and climbed over to his porch. He then howled a storm until my neighbor got up and opened his sliding glass door. Licorice scampered over to my porch and looked back with urgent meows. He said it was then he realized what Licorice was trying to tell him I was in trouble. He ran to my apartment next door but my door was locked. He called the landlord and 911. Once he got into my apartment, he found Licorice nudging me and meowing urgently like he were trying to rouse me from sleep. I wasn't breathing and I was in tachycardia which means rapid heartbeat. This time, Licorice let the EMTs work on me. When I woke up, my hand was on Licorice and I was petting him. My doctor told me that I was unresponsive and getting worse. Licorice was his last hope. Within five minutes of Licorice arriving, I was petting him and murmuring, "My little love bug." ten minutes later I was awake. Cats can and do the impossible. If I didn't have Licorice, I would have died that night. Now, I'm healthy and happy. Licorice makes it a point to sleep curled up against my chest. The other thing is that I had to send my Laptop to Geek Squad for two weeks for them to debug and repair it. Thankfully, I back everything up with my flash drive which I'm attached to.**

**Amerella: I actually thought I was going to lose Queen Sunstar for a bit there. Thank goodness for her cat. If Queen Sunstar had died, I would have taken over her stories and finished them myself. Also, Queen Sunstar is taking part in something called Script Frenzy next month. It is a contest ran by NANOWRIMO in April. This time, you write a 100 page script in 30 days. I'm not doing it because I'll be working on these stories. Deletion is nearly finished. Only two more chapters to go! They are the last main chapter and the epilogue.**

**Queen Sunstar: only 106 hits to go until the 1K mark! If we reach that mark, you'll receive one bonus chapter of outtakes from Deletion. I have saved some pretty comical stuff that'll leave you laughing, and you'll get to see a direction I almost took Deletion instead.**

**Amerella: I have stuff for the bonus too. If you want it, we got to reach 1K first. Review lots, We want to hear from you! See you all in two weeks! Hey queenie, I hear Pokemon Heart Gold and Soul Silver have come out.**

**Queen Sunstar: I'm waiting until after Easter. My red DS is in the shop for repair and my old black DS won't play DS games anymore. Hopefully, I'll get my DS back before Easter.**

**Amerella: I caught you playing my X collection the other day.**

**Queen Sunstar: I was only playing the first game, honest!**

**Amerella: And Command Mission.**

**Queen Sunstar: I was giving Redips a taste of Absolute Zero and his claws. They call Redips an end game boss, but he is so easy to beat, even in dragon form. Just sic Absolute Zero on him. **

**Amerella: Review lots! We're done now!**


	7. The Final Battle part 1

"We aren't using Viruses entrance?" Medic asked.

"We can't this time. Virus is getting suspicious of me. We will go this way. It is safe." Zero stepped up to the pungent maw of roiling red, purple, and yellow colors that made up the opening to the Ethernet deep within the Undernet. He stepped through. Medic followed, and gasped at the sudden shock of cold that hit her. They came out in the Rose Coliseum in the Ethernet. Zero suddenly froze, staring at the exit of the coliseum. Something blue and shimmery hovered, staring at them.

"Medic? Do you see it?"

"Yes, I do. What is it?"

The shimmer moved toward them, and then back toward the exit.

"It wants us to follow it." Zero started to follow.

"We can't. We need to get to Megaman." Medic pulled Zero away from the light.

"I know, Medic. I can't help but be drawn to the light." Zero forced himself to walk away.

The shimmer of light flashed brightly. The two Navis turned to it. It flashed again, trying to form. Another flash, and Cyber Elf X managed to materialize, but he was transparent. Again, he beckoned them to follow.

"X is damaged and in Scilabs, so how is he appearing here?" Medic asked.

"Astral projection." Zero replied, "Why is he not talking? He really wants us to follow, Medic."

"We can't, X. you understand, right?" Medic asked, walking closer to X, "This is taking everything he's got. He has nothing left to use for talking."

X turned to her and beckoned again. This time, he made it more urgent.

"Really, Medic. You know X. He wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't important." Zero urged gently.

Medic sighed, "All right."

X looked joyful, which quickly changed to grief. Head low, he led them out of the coliseum and turned north. They saw more and more ruins as they progressed toward the city limits. X led them outside the city and turned left. Up ahead was what was left of a forest, a few scraggy trees clinging to what was left of the once bountiful soil. X past the forest and stepped onto a stone path. Zero recognized the path as the one he often saw X go down. This path was forbidden to all Navi kind and Cyber Elf kind except for X. Zero stopped.

"X, where are you taking us?" He asked.

X turned, and looked sadly at him.

"Is it something painful to you?" Medic pressed.

X nodded, and gave a sad sigh that sounded more like the wind blowing through the few last leaves in the forest. He turned and walked on. They moved to follow.

The stone path wound through a small field filled with large boulders. Zero shuddered, remembering that those boulders were from Earth. This was were the Ethernet had burst through into the human world to feed. They soon left the field behind. The sound of a waterfall came to their ears. They rounded a bend to see a small waterfall falling into a small pool. Just beyond this sat a blue door set into the side of a mid sized hill. Zero was about to ask when he realized what that door was made from.

"You used your armor to make that door, right, X?" Zero asked eyes wide.

X nodded, looking grief stricken. He walked up to the door and concentrated on his right hand. Slowly, it became solid and he lifted his hand to a sharp blade set in the rock next to the door. With a deft movement, he slit his hand and pressed it up against the door. Zero gasped in horror, realizing that X had done this so no one else could see what was inside. This also scared him. What could scare a Cyber Elf; no make that the Father Elf, so bad that he would go to such extreme measures to hide it from the rest of the world?

The door hissed open to reveal… nothing. All Zero could see was darkness. X swiftly floated inside. Medic touched Zero's arm before following. Zero moved after them. The door hissed shut, trapping them in the darkness. Zero felt vibrations travel up his legs and looked around the darkness. Torches lit themselves, casting light and shadows around them. Medic suddenly gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. X looked away, clearly in anguish at something. Zero turned, and nearly screamed. Blood splashed the floor and soaked much of the wall. In the corner lay a blue robed rusted skeleton with a long silver and gold sword sticking up out of it.

"Is that you, X?" Zero asked shakily.

X nodded, and pointed at the wall, then down at a small blue journal. Medic gave a sharp cry. Zero felt sick. The wall showed several pictures with writing on them. The first picture showed a planet covered in yellow lines. The next picture showed a black figure with red eyes and three pairs of black wings. In its hands, it held the planet as if to crush it. The third picture showed a limp blue form wrapped in tentacles near a large figure which Zero didn't recognize. Medic stared wide eyed at the picture, recognition in her eyes. The fourth picture showed the figure fighting a vicious battle with a sword-wielding hero that resembled Protoman. The last picture showed a black colored figure, which showed love, and grief as it was kneeling before the blue figure. A silver and gold sword stuck up from the blue figure, who was smiling. It was clear that the blue figure was dying. Medic picked up the journal.

"X, you translated this, didn't you?" Medic asked.

X nodded, and indicated that she should read it.

"My name is Megaman X Light. I am a Cyber Elf, and that is my body you see. The sword must not be removed until the right time by the Fusion, whom you must show this place to. I am not dead, my body continues to live. It will live until the Fusion removes the sword. Even then, while my body dies, I'll live on. I will be free of the mortal coil. This will allow me the full use of my power and I will be able to act to shut down Darkman. I have only been able to use 10 percent of my full power. I know who the Fusion is, but I cannot tell you. I have known this was coming for a long time. I have put in place plans to counterattack the threat. I shall start at the beginning."

**Flashback**

"_I'm sorry, Zero. I should have told you. Even if I had told you, would you still have been willing to use me as a power up?" X knew he was dying. He could see Zero's grief stricken look as Ceil cried near by him. The rain fell without an end. It was dark. Neo Arcadia rose in ruins around them. Beyond them, the remains of Omega burned on. Leviathan and Harpuia worked on rescue efforts. Fefnir and Phantom both were crouched near Zero, watching the sad proceeding._

"_No, X. I'm sorry. I took everything you had!" Zero blinked as tears mixed with the falling rain._

"_Promise me you will turn Neo Arcadia into the paradise I've always dreamed of. Be her leader, Zero. Lead for me. I'll be watching over you." X felt his strength draining away, "Remember…" _

_Zero felt X going limp in his arms. He knew the awful truth. Lowering his head, he let his tears fall. Around him, gasps rang out. Human and Reploid alike lowered their heads in grief. They knew what the ache they all felt met. X was gone._

_X was drifting in darkness. There was no pain. It was quiet. For a long time, X slept. Something stirred deep within him, slowly bringing him to full wakefulness. There was light, and X drifted by it. He froze with a start. Voices, there were voices!_

"_It's almost ready, my liege." _

"_Good. Soon, with the Ethernet, we will be able to communicate with anyone, anywhere. Plus, the cyber elves will have their own world to live in when we don't need their services. It will make things much simpler."_

_The answering voice was so familiar. X crept up to the light, and gasped in shock. Cerveau and Zero! Cerveau suddenly leaned forward, as X jumped backward._

"_Cerveau?" Zero questioned._

"_Remember the odd reading I told you about? I have it again." Cerveau looked down at a device in his hand, "It moved backward when I leaned in. See this line? I think it is nervous. It might be intelligent."_

_X calmed his racing heart. He crept up to the window of light again. Cerveau looked down at the device. X was curious, now._

"_It is here." Cerveau put in a few commands, "who ever you are, hold still. This will allow us to see you."_

_X held still, fighting the urge to run. A beam of light ran over him, and Cerveau gasped. Zero looked like he was going to faint. _

"_It can't be! You died!" Cerveau sputtered._

"_X?" Zero asked, "Is it really you?"_

"_Zero, Cerveau." X smiled, "I'm at loss as to how this happened myself."_

"_I think I can explain." Cerveau said, "A cyber elf, after being used, doesn't die after all. They go somewhere else. I bet that they go to a place between our world and death. Zero, that means that some kind of rudimentary cyber world exists, and with the Ethernet, we have tapped into it. This is a big discovery."_

"_Back when we were Hunters, didn't we have something like the Ethernet? What was it called… oh yeah! Cyber Space!" X recalled, "I bet this is the remains of Cyber Space!"_

"_Now I remember. We had to fight a Maverick in Cyber Space, Cyber Peacock. You went in, I did the worrying." Zero remembered, "Alia said that what happened to you in Cyber Space would happen to your body in the real world."_

"_Only one machine was working, so we played rock paper scissors to determine who would go in. I won. I wonder what this means for you and…" X trailed off._

"_It's still Neo Arcadia. I am it's Emperor. Ceil is my queen. It has been five years. This is a big thing. The people now have a way to interact with their beloved Emperor Light." Zero smiled, "Plus, we can use this. We can use you to check out dangerous situations and find information as the Ethernet grows." he caught himself, "That is, if you are okay with it."_

"_I'm fine with it." X smiled._

_Time passed. The Ethernet grew in leaps and bounds. X wasn't alone. Thousands of cyber elves populated the new world hidden in the computers. Ether City flourished. X floated above the city and watched. Something tugged at his mind, refusing to be remembered, but wanting attention. _

"_X." a screen dropped down beside him to reveal Zero's face. _

"_Zero. What can I do for you?" X turned to the screen._

_Zero looked tired. X knew that he had been up with Ceil all night. Ceil was due to give birth to their first child any day, and the pregnancy had been hard on her. _

"_I need you to go check out the Neo Arcadian outpost. I was going to go myself, but I can't leave Ceil in her condition." Zero replied._

"_I'm on it." X focused his mind and teleported himself to the outskirts of the outpost Cyberworld. Quickly finding a screen, X looked out at the desolated ruin that was the outpost. He heard the door opening and turned to see Phantom sneaking in._

"_Boo." X watched as Phantom did a perfect impression of The Scream._

"_X! that was not funny!" Phantom sputtered, "hold on while I locate my heart!"_

"_You mean like the red blob over there?" X pointed, while chuckling softly._

"_You are not being funny." Phantom growled, "I'm not falling for it."_

"_Would I lie?" X asked._

"_Well, no, but you did pull your fair share of pranks on us. Alright, I'm looking." Phantom turned._

"_Nightmare!" X screamed in horror. Phantom couldn't stop the scream that erupted from his throat. _

"_X!" Phantom screamed, "Will you stop that?" _

"_No, it's a nightmare!" X screamed at him, "You know, the Nightmare Virus from war number 5?"_

"_Oh, that Nightmare. I'll defeat it with one ninja star." Phantom lobbed one of his ninja stars at the blob, which destroyed it, "I'll have to report this to Lord Zero."_

"_There's a second one on your right!" X ordered, "I think we're not alone here!"_

"_Gee, you think?" Phantom turned and let lose with another of his ninja stars, destroying the second Nightmare. X looked up, and screamed. Phantom looked up, and went white._

"_They are all over the ceiling!" Phantom let lose with a storm of ninja stars. Pretty soon, the last of the Nightmare viruses were defeated. "Where are they coming from?"_

"_That is a good question, and I am the answer!"_

"_X? you?"_

"_No, Phantom! Not me! I can't effect your world from my world!" X turned, and froze, "A-and I'm n-not alone h-here." _

"_They made you a Cyber Elf." the voice was cold._

_X's mind scrambled to place the being before him. Suddenly it all clicked._

"_Darkman!" X screamed, "I saw you in Cyber Space! You were the one who tried to kill me!"_

_Darkman was tall. His head was a skull like dome with two yellow slits for eyes. A ridged plate covered his mouth. His body was cloaked in a large black and gold cloak. Several tentacles flowed out from under the cloak. Two curved spikes rose from the shoulders. X backed away slowly._

"_That is right. I have returned to kill you like I was supposed to do." Darkman's cloak rustled as two hands appeared. The hands were coated in sliver and resembled four fingered claws. The hand on the right zoomed toward X, catching him. X squirmed, but it was no use. Phantom could only watch helplessly. X's mind scrambled, trying to come up with a way to fight. X remembered his old Cyber Seraph form and prayed he could still use it. Light blossomed in Darkman's claws. X burst free, three pairs of wings open. With a powerful down stroke, X shot past Darkman, forcing him to follow him. Turning, X brought both hands together, rainbow light swirling._

"_You'll have to catch me first!" X taunted, "Cyber Buster! Charged Shot!" the light streaked forward to damage Darkman's left spike. Darkman roared, pelting the Cyber Elf with black fireballs. A fireball destroyed two of X's wings, eliciting a scream of agony and slowing the Cyber Elf down._

"_Pesky blue bug!" Darkman hissed._

"_Cyber Saber!" X's left hand shifted to that of a rainbow hued saber. Spinning, X dove, slicing at Darkman. He only cut cloak. Darkman's tentacles snaked around him. X screamed, trying to hack at the tentacles containing him. His strength began to fade. X's struggles became weaker until they stopped. Darkman tightened his hold on his helpless prey, and screamed as the tentacles exploded. X rose free, bright white light surrounding him. _

"_What is this?" Darkman asked._

"_I can not defeat you, Darkman. I can make it so you can not hurt anyone anymore." X was smiling, "feel the pain you've caused, Darkman. Look into my eyes and feel the burning damnation you've placed upon your victims."_

_The voice was almost hypnotic. Darkman found himself looking, and screamed. X grunted, forcing everything he had into his spell. He released the light. It was relentless in tearing Darkman apart. One part went into the cyber sky while the second part went into the ground. The third and final part, vanished. X knew he had not won. He had merely bought time. Darkman would return, he knew, but by then, X knew he would be ready to fight and win._

**End Flashback**

"I knew I had to be ready, so I hid myself and made plans. Using my own body, I made it impossible for anyone to find out. The door is made from my old armor. As time went by, I began to receive visions of Darkman's reawakening. It would start within the body of my namesake and force a heart wrenching battle between friends. I tried to protect my namesake but sadly, I have failed. I know what is coming, and it won't be easy to face." Medic finished reading, "X, you did what you had to do to protect the Cyber World. Zero, let's go. We cannot help our son now. You know it as well as I do."

Zero sighed, but did not protest as he understood, "I am still going to him. Hopefully I can convince him to give up his hold on the plane."

Rakia's mind was racing. Up ahead, the long jagged peak of Mount Sheer loomed ominously closer. He checked the clock, 15 minutes to go until they crashed. Pride was crying softly. Kiro was pale.

"Megaman…" Rakia turned to the screen as the dark Navi appeared, "You saved Searchman, remember? You once told me your greatest joy was using double soul with your friends in battle. Remember Search Soul and Knight Soul?"

"Nice try. You are not going to talk your way out of this!" Megaman hissed.

"You remember double soul, right? You carry a piece of Searchman, and Knightman. Can't you feel them? They are crying. They know you would never hurt a fly. Fight back for them. Show them you still care about them, Megaman." Rakia darted a look at the clock, 11 minutes to go…

"Why would I care about a worthless power?" Megaman snapped, "They are weak compared to me!"

"No, they are not, Megaman. They are stronger then you will ever be." Rakia narrowed his eyes, "your friends gave you new abilities. Searchman made it possible to seek out hidden enemies. Knightman gave you powerful armor. You wanted so badly to protect Lan that you performed double soul with Bass in a desperate gamble to defeat Nebula Gray. Remember Lan? You are his twin brother, Megaman! Lan cares about you! I know you are in there still. Remember who your friends are!" his voice seemed to echo with his last words.

Megaman gasped, hands flying toward his now blazing Navi mark.

In Chiona, Medi gasped, staring down at her blazing symbol.

"Medi, what is it?" her Netop, Jasmine asked.

"It's Megaman! He is calling me to battle. I must answer, Jasmine." Medi was smiling as she pixilated out.

"What does this mean, Tomahawkman?" Dingo asked worriedly, taking in the sight of his Navi, Tomahawkman's blazing symbol.

"It means that Megaman is calling me to battle. I must go, Dingo." Tomahawkman pixilated out.

"I have to go, Ribitta." Toadman spoke up to his net op.

"Toadman? Where are you going?" Ribitta asked.

"Megaman is calling me to battle. See?" Toadman looked down at his blazing symbol, "I must go to him. I'll be back soon." He pixilated out.

"Hmm?" Colonel studied his now blazing symbol, "You are calling me, aren't you, Megaman? I'm coming."

"Colonel?" Barrel looked up from his report.

"I'm needed." Colonel pixilated out.

"Your symbol!" Sal held up her PET.

"It means I'm needed. Megaman is calling me." Woodman smiled.

"Then go to him." Sal watched as her beloved Navi pixilated out.

"Miyabi." Shadowman was looking down at his blazing symbol.

"What does it mean?" Miyabi asked.

"Megaman is calling me. I must go." Shadowman replied, "I'll be back soon." He was gone in a shower of pixels.

This scene repeated itself as Torchman, Metalman, Magnetman, Thunderman, Spoutman, Junkman, Windman, Napalmman, Gyroman, and Numberman's symbols blazed. They knew what it met as they all headed out to answer the summons.

Roll watched as her symbol blazed brightly. Gutsman, Protoman, Searchman, and Knightman's symbols were blazing too. They had gathered together.

"He's calling." Searchman spoke up.

"We're needed." Gutsman put in.

"Then let's go." Protoman pixilated out followed closely by Roll, Gutsman, Searchman, and Knightman.

Bass was doing his best to keep Lan happy. Already, Lan had tried to sneak out of the hospital twice.

"Bass, your symbol." Lan was the first to notice the glow.

"It's Megaman! I'm being called into battle. I must go." Bass replied.

"Bring back Megaman!" Lan called after him as he pixilated out.

Rakia glanced toward the clock again, six minutes until death. On the screen, Megaman clawed at his blazing symbol. All around him, bursts of pixels revealed other Navis, Navis that Megaman had shared soul unison with.

"Knightman!" Pride cried out.

"Searchman too!" Rakia pointed, "Every Navi that Megaman has linked up with is there."

"Not everyone." Pride looked sad, "Django isn't there."

"Maybe he will come." Rakia replied, "Searchman, it looks like you'll have to fight Megaman."

"I'm not holding back." Searchman narrowed his eyes.

"He won't be alone." Torchman moved to stand beside him.

"I can fight, too, whoosh." Spoutman joined them.

"Same here." Windman stepped up.

"And don't forget us." Thunderman and the rest of the Navis joined them, "This is going to be a hard battle. That is not Megaman. It is just darkness using his body."

Protoman led the charge with Colonel on his right and Bass on his left. All three Navi's had their swords out. Megaman looked up but was unable to counterattack. Torchman, Thunderman, Woodman, and Spoutman attacked next with their respective elements followed closely by Windman, and Shadowman. Tomahawkman was next. Megaman managed to counterattack Windman, but Shadowman and Tomahawkman's attacks hit him. His symbol stopped glowing to show several cracks. Metalman, Magnetman, Toadman, Roll, and Gutsman led the next charge. Following them were Medi, Napalmman, Gyroman, Numberman, and Junkman. Megaman was barely able to counterattack, but he was taking more and more damage. His symbol was now badly cracked. It suddenly flashed black, and the cracks vanished. The tide turned. Megaman wasted no time attacking.

Rakia glanced at the clock again, 4 minutes until death. He watched as Megaman took out Searchman with a few charged shots. Pride cried out with Knightman as Megaman cut through his armor easily.

"They are losing badly!" she cried, "My PET isn't responding so I can't help Knightman!"

Soon, Protoman was left alone. He was damaged, but still standing. As Megaman charged, he braced for impact. Only then, the world exploded in glorious, golden light.

"No, I'm too late!" Django appeared in the light, "Megaman, what have you done? They are your friends! They care about you! Please, I don't want to fight you!"

"Useless." Megaman spat, kicking Bass aside. Protoman crept silently around Megaman. He caught Django's eye and nodded. Django sent a quick finger twitch back to show he understood.

"You've become a demon." Django narrowed his eyes, "I fight scum like you day in and out."

"I'd like to see you try to stop me!" Megaman suddenly spun, catching Protoman in the chest with a well placed kick followed by a charged shot. Protoman grunted, and folded in on himself, leaving Django alone.

"No, Protoman! I will not fall! Gun Del Sol! I will only have one shot at this! I can't afford to miss!" Django braced for the recoil as Megaman charged. He let lose a beam of solar energy at Megaman. Time slowed. Megaman knocked the Gun Del Sol out of Django's hands, and the Solar Boy saw rather then felt the hits from the Mega buster. Crimson flowers opened up on his chest, forcing him down to his knees. Slowly, he fell backward.

"Megaman, remember!" he called out weakly.

The sky brightened as something else arrived. Master Otenko, the Sun spirit himself, appeared in the sky. His eyes traveled over the still forms surrounding the darkness Megaman had become. He wept silently, already knowing it was far too late to do anything. He then let himself fall, landing before Megaman.

"Is this enough for you, Megaman? Look around you. Your friends came to you to help you; even Django heard your call. All this evil I sensed is coming from you." Otenko allowed Megaman to attack him, "You are holding back. You do not want to hurt me. They would be dust if you allowed the evil full control. You are fighting it."

Megaman slowed, his eyes flickering between black and green, "I've been fighting it since it entered me."

"I see." at that moment, the damage done by Django to Megaman restored itself, "your symbol was cracked. I get it now. I'm going to set you free." Otenko rose into the air and began to shine. Slowly, the damage the Navis and Django had sustained healed.

Meanwhile, Rakia watched as the last few seconds of minute three ticked by. Two more minutes until they became a stain on the side of Mount Sheer…

Otenko landed, "Django! I know how to save Megaman! Use the Piledriver Advance! If we all work together, we can set Megaman free! I'll provide the light!"

The Navis gathered around Django.

"Just tell us what to do." Junkman replied.

"You guys will need the three Gun Del Sol battle chips." Django picked up his Gun Del Sol, "We will all have to perform the Piledriver at the same time. I want you all to aim at me. I will direct it through the Gun Del Sol. This attack is very powerful, and there will be a casualty."

"What if we don't have those chips?" Roll asked.

"Just call out the names of the three chips." Django answered.

The Navis formed a half circle around Django.

"Gun Del Sol one, two, and three, battlechips in and download!" all 22 Navis called as one. Two pillars rose around Megaman, who was clearly fighting not to move. His eyes went green and stayed green. Django braced himself. He could feel the power gathering within the Gun Del Sol. First, a pillar of light shot down in front of Megaman, dealing damage. His symbol cracked. Second, a second pillar of light struck behind Megaman, dealing more damage. His symbol cracked even more. Finally, Django released all the light he had gathered from Otenko and from the 22 Navis standing around him. The light slammed into Megaman's symbol, shattering it. Megaman dropped to his knees, darkness pouring from his nose, eyes, and mouth. His symbol blazed again, returning to normal as he fell forward.

"Megaman! Just wake up! Come on, wake up!" Roll got to him first. Django knelt next to her. Medi knelt and placed her hand on Megaman's neck.

"He has a pulse. He'll live." Medi realized Django was shaking his head, "What?"

"I said there will be a casualty. Megaman is that casualty. He is not going to survive. Get back!" Django suddenly pulled both Roll and Medi away from Megaman.

"What was that for?" Roll growled at him.

"Watch." Django responded.

Thick black tentacles coiled around Megaman as the world was gripped in a terrible quake. A groaning sound filled the air. Medi screamed, pointing at the crumbling sky. Roll tugged at the tentacles holding Megaman.

"We can't stay here!" Colonel screamed.

"We've got to bail! Now!" Tomahawkman added.

Left and right, Navis vanished in showers of pixels.

"What about Megaman?" Roll screamed, "I can't leave! Not without him!"

"We have to go, now!" Protoman grabbed her arm and pixilated them both out despite Roll's screams of no. Only Django remained. Otenko floated down by him as he looked up at the ruined sky.

"I've played my part in this mess just as you ordained, Father Elf. I hope I have done enough. Master Otenko lets go home." Django turned and walked off, his body fading away.

Otenko watched Megaman for a minute before turning and following Django. He vanished as Zero appeared.

"Megaman?" grief pierced his heart, "I'll save you. Rakia, how much time?"

"30 seconds!" Rakia answered, "We're too close!"

"Do you have control?" Zero asked.

"We do now. What are you thinking?" Rakia asked.

"Bank right, and down. It is going to be close, but a tunnel cuts through Mt. Sheer's peak. I know because I put it there chasing the enraged Seraph X." Zero replied calmly.

"Got it!" Rakia gave the instructions to Kiro, who put them to good use.

"We're not going to make it!" Kiro shouted.

Rakia was quiet, as if he were willing the plane to dip lower, lower, lower…

Zero heard the sound of tortured metal screaming as it was torn away from the plane, the screaming of the three passengers, then dead silence. He swallowed.

"Rakia? Pride? Can anyone respond?" nothing. "Sit tight. Rescue is on the way." Zero turned to Megaman, "I'm afraid you are going on the back burner for a while." He reached down and gently stroked Megaman's cheek, "I promise we are going to save you." He pixilated to Scilabs.

"Lan." was all Bass got out before the boy was peppering him with questions a mile a minute, "Lan, let me speak! We set Megaman free!" that stopped Lan.

"Where is he? Is he okay? Can I see him?" Lan asked excitedly.

Bass took a deep breath, "Megaman is free of the darkness, but he is still trapped within Proto. He is safe for now. We all had to leave. The darkness will not hurt him anymore. Your dad is working on a way to set him free." Bass looked toward the window, "What is all that noise?"

Lan went to the window and looked out, "That is the Heliport and it looks like they are bringing someone in." He watched as the helicopter, a blocky medical military copter from Netopia, landed. A large group of doctors and nurses rushed to the doors and Lan was shocked into stupefied silence as a bed was carefully wheeled out of the copter. Behind it came two more people. One looked like a pilot who was limping badly. The other looked like Pride.

"Is that Pride?" Bass asked.

"Yeah, but she was on her way here." Lan replied.

"I'm going to check the net." Bass pixilated out, and returned with a much shaken Searchman, "Lan, the plane carrying Rakia and Pride crashed through Mt. Sheer. Zero alerted search and rescue. Kiro, the pilot, said that Megaman set the plane on a collision course with Mt. Sheer, and relinquished control 30 seconds before crashing. Kiro tried to angle for a tunnel, but they were too close and the right wing was torn off. They went into a spin and lost the left wing. The plane came to a rest a mile down the mountain. Pride is okay except for a broken wrist, and Kiro suffered bruising to his leg. They were both cut up pretty good, but Rakia is the worse. He struck his head and has been unconscious since. I brought Searchman here to keep him out of the way."

"Rakia will be fine, right?" Lan asked, "It can't be that bad, right?"

"There was a lot of blood, and from what I saw, they were trying to keep up with the blood loss." Searchman replied shakily, "I can't lose Rakia. Not again."

"You won't lose him. Relax." Bass found himself trying to comfort Searchman, which was an entirely new concept for him.

"You lost Rakia once?" Lan asked.

"I really don't want to talk about it." Searchman closed his eyes, the vision of Rakia covered in blood still too fresh in his mind.

At that moment, Pride entered Lan's room. Knightman was in his PET, trying to provide comfort to Pride.

"Lan, good to see you." Her voice lacked any emotion.

"What happened?" Lan asked, "I heard from Bass that there was a plane crash."

"Zero tried to help us, but we were too close to the mountain. Rakia ordered Kiro and me to jump. We had parachutes on and we did. Rakia was supposed to follow, but the plane hit something, causing him to fall and strike his head. The plane crashed with him still on board. I will live. It is just some cuts and bruises coupled with a broken wrist." Pride explained, "I came when I heard about what happened. We'll all get Megaman back."

"We all will help." Bass agreed.

"So will Searchman and myself."

"Rakia! Are you supposed to be up and moving?" Pride practically dove into his arms. Rakia smiled.

"It was a two inch cut above my left eye. Head wounds bleed a lot. I am stuck here until Saturday for observation. Lan, what on earth are you here for?" Rakia asked.

"I'm stuck here until Saturday because I got hit by two cars. I am fine. It is a bruised lung, a couple busted ribs, and a broken wrist. I'll heal." Lan explained, "Hopefully, we'll be roommates."

"Saturday is only three days away. We will lay low here and create a battle plan. What do we know so far?"

"Well, something threw us kids into the Ethernet, then Cyber Elf X and Megaman got captured. We escaped the Ethernet with X's astral projection self. Bass and Freezeman rescued Megaman who then gave me what for, then Megaman got captured again," Lan began.

"Willy used X to break a seal on something really bad. Megaman did battle with the two parts of the darkness, not realizing the third and final part slept within him. He absorbed it into himself and was overpowered. Electman and Searchman tossed him in an unused Cyberworld, playing right into Willy's hands. Willy has disappeared. Megaman forced your plane to crash, and the real Megaman managed to call together the 23 souls he has unified with to help him break the darkness's hold and we've set him free, but he is trapped within Proto by the very darkness we freed him from." Bass finished, "I don't like this. There is more to this then X is letting on."

"I heard from Gridman that the cyber world is breaking up. We cannot contact Neo Arcadia, Sharro, and Netfrica. Their Cyberworlds are linked and they are gone. There is nothing there. Currently, Scilabs is rushing to seal the links between the remaining cyber worlds." Searchman put in.

"Basically, we know nothing." Bass sounded defeated.

"X would probably know more." Lan lit up, "Bass, why don't you go ask him?"

"Okay, I'm gone." Bass hit the net.

Scilabs Cyberworld was busy. Officials, Scientists, and civilian Navis rushed about. In the middle of it all, Protoman shouted orders and directed traffic at the same time. Bass rushed up to him and promptly found himself staring down the business end of the Proto Sword.

"Protoman, you know me." Bass sighed.

"And I'm not taking any chances." Protoman scowled, "You are here because?"

"I need to speak to X." Bass replied.

Just then, a roar went up. Creamlands Cyberworld was gone. Protoman sighed, marking it off on his clipboard. Bass stole a look, and gasped.

"We're down to Electopia, Netopia, and Yumland." Protoman replied, "What ever this is, it is spreading fast. The seals aren't keeping it at bay."

"The Undernet?" Bass asked.

"The Undernet is there, but it is silent. No viruses, Navis, only the roads." Protoman answered, "You may go in."

Bass slipped through the link, and was nearly trampled in the chaos. He wormed his way into Hikari's computer, startling Hikari in the process.

"How is Lan?" he asked, rubbing the bridge of his nose tiredly.

"Lan's fine. I need to speak to X." Bass requested.

"I'm afraid that is not possible." Hikari turned slightly so Bass could see the DA space holding X.

The Cyber Elf was transparent and growing fainter all the time. Bass almost missed him.

"What is happening?" Bass asked.

"I don't know. I think it is tied into the loss of Cyberworlds." Hikari fought off a yawn, "I haven't slept in days, Bass."

"What about the Megaman problem?" Bass asked.

"I'm at a loss there too. This may be it, Bass. We may have to give up on X and Megaman. Don't tell Lan." Hikari looked heartbroken.

"I won't." Bass sighed, "There has got to be something we're missing! Where are Zero, and Medic?"

"I made them take a sleep cycle." Hikari said, "Medic was literally sleeping standing up."

Bass felt a rumble and turned. Protoman flew into the computer.

"Electopia's Cyberworld! It's going!" He gasped.

"What?" Hikari asked.

A scream erupted from behind him as X thrashed violently in convulsions. Hikari spun to him.

"Could… Could the Link be in our Cyberworld?" Kendoman spoke up from Famouses computer.

"What Link?" Bass asked.

"Before X lost conscious, he said to sever the Link. I couldn't get where, though." Kendoman answered, "That was went we found out that Neo Arcadia, Sharro, and Netfrica were gone."

Bass felt the start of an idea. Quickly, he searched through Hikari's computer and pulled out a map. He faced it, studying it.

"What Cyberworld is this?" he pointed at a yellow area.

"That's Yumland. It was the second of the Cyberworlds to go into existence. Why?" Hikari asked.

"Yumland is in the center of it all. Neo Arcadia was the first to create a Cyberworld after the Ethernet incident. I know where the link is!" Bass cried out.

"Where?" Kendoman asked.

"It is in Yum Square, where Gospel came from." Bass explained, "Yumland is the first modern Cyberworld. The rest of the worlds Cyberworlds formed from the basis of Yumlands Cyberworld. Protoman, how much time until Electopia's Cyberworld fades?"

"Five minutes. I'm going too." Protoman replied at once.

"Are you sure?" Bass asked, "It will be dangerous. We will most likely be deleted. I'm not stopping you."

"I don't fear deletion. I am ready to die if I must for my world and the world of my Netop." Protoman responded, "I am doing this for Megaman."

"Then let's go." Bass and Protoman slipped out into the chaos that was the Electopian Cyberworld.

**Queen Sunstar: Sorry for the wait. We have made it over the 1K mark! You earn yourselves a cool surprise in the bonus chapter, plus, the story is being extended one chapter. Next chapter is the last one, and after that we see the epilogue which will lead to something special. **

**Amerella: I can't wait! I am also thrilled to announce that Megaman Zero graces the DS screen in a four game collection. Sunstar is already saving up for it. I haven't had the heart to tell her that the games are the same as the four advance games. I know, not much action. All I can say is, fasten yourself into a roller coaster style harness before you read our second to last chapter. **

**Queen Sunstar: Don't worry. We will remind you before the next chapter. Damaged will be updated soon too. We have a brand new laptop so that means faster updates on everything. See you all soon, and don't forget to review, now! Ciao!**


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